Aliens: Home
by Murfy426
Summary: Set after the original trilogy. The arrival of two ghost ships on Earth trigger a chain of events that will change the course of history. Central to these events are the feared Reaper battalion. Who amongst the devastation and suffering will forge a legend in the ashes of a dying world.
1. Prologue

Night wrapped herself around this wild, wonderful world with a cooling, refreshing embrace. A brief thankful respite from the humid, scorching day as a chill breeze filtered through the forests and fields in the valley below. High above in the hills the breeze turned to a biting wind that threatened to pierce the warmest of clothes as the hardy thick trees stood with indifference from a climate they had grown with for millions of years. On any other forested world this landscape would be uninspiring but the sight of the planet's neighbour would take any seasoned traveller's breath away. Filling half of the night's sky and alight from the then-hidden sun the neighbouring gas giant and it's two asteroid rings forced itself upon the eyes as it illuminated the planet's surface, draining but not eliminating the stars above in the cold distance of space.

High up in the hills, hidden from the gas giant's light a pair of headlights burrowed their way through the skin of the dense forest to an exposed shelf higher up. The six wheeled colony crawler was considered state of the art when it was created over forty years ago when it came fresh off the assembly line. The years had not been kind to the vehicle though as it protested over the uneven road paved into the hill by years of repeated use. Most of it's original parts replaced or repaired by whatever could be found, the fact that it was still drivable was a testament to it's reliable design.

Jonah felt like he could drift away to sleep at the wheel soon, he had been driving for nearly five hours with David, his grandfather's now grating company in the passenger's seat. At the beginning of the journey conversation was plentiful but as they climbed further up he could see his grandfather was reflecting on the past. It was something he did very often and he never left his memories with a smile on his face.

With a jolt coming through the suspension, rocking Jonah awake again he could see their destination finally in sight. His grandfather thrust his liver-spotted hand out, motioning them to stop just shy of the small clearing where a primitively built wood cabin was centred with light peeking through the shutters that adorned the outside walls. Jonah heard of these kind of buildings when he learned history of how humans had lived back on earth before space travel. But the reality looked dirty and uncomfortable, vulnerable to exposure and the will of the elements.

Dry metal creaks emanated from the door hinges as they exited the crawler. Noting with surprise that his breath produced steam as the cold air raised the hairs on his exposed arms. The climate in the hills was much colder than the consistent heat in the valley a few thousand feet down. He shivered as he yearned for climbing back inside the air conditioned crawler, waiting for the obvious comment.

"I told you to wear extra layers but did you listen to me?" His grandfather scoffed, walking to the back of the crawler and the storage compartment. "Just like your old man you are, c'mon help me with this." Jonah moved quickly to join him, taking the brunt of the weight of the large rucksack as they both slumped it to the muddy ground. "Just remember what I told you Jonah, be careful what you ask. Remember your here because of his courtesy, apart from me he hasn't seen anyone else since before you were born, he likes his privacy."

"Yeah I couldn't tell, living hours away from the settlement he must love his own kind." Jonah teased, leaning on the trunk of the crawler, watching for movement inside the cabin, eager to meet the man.

"I wouldn't say this in front your dad but your in a degree of danger being up here." The old man said gravely as he zipped the rucksack shut after checking all the content's were there. "Drop the sarcasm. You might think you've heard all about him from the rumours that the gossips like to spread back home but you know nothing, none of you down there do."

Still leaning on the trunk, he gazed around the cabin. Around the building showed enough evidence that he lived off the land with a number of crop plantations with a number of vegetables growing. Two animal skins were stretched out on a tanning rack beside an opened shed, from the size and markings Jonah guessed that they were skinned from deer, according to the elders, these animals were introduced from Earth before the war.

They had stood for over a minute, Jonah guessed that they were waiting on him to come out of the cabin. "I know this much grandpa, your friend is a shit host, leaving his guests out in the dark freezing our asses off." He tapped his fingers against the trunk, his irritation overwhelming his excitement, he pondered for a moment getting back into the crawler and hitting the horn.

"Guests here usually get a knife in the back." A voice made of gravel muttered behind them causing Jonah to jump out his skin, twisting around to face the voice's owner.

He walked out from under the shadow of the trees, his steps never uttering a sound as his eyes never left Jonah's. While clearly in his sixties his build didn't give any hint of physical weakness unlike his grandfather and the other elders from the colony. Despite being clothed in a thin t-shirt that accentuated his well developed musculature he clearly didn't feel the cold in anyway. The height and imposing build for a man of his age was enough to unsettle him but it was the scars and the eyes that truly scared him. Ragged white scars dragged down form the fringe of his long silvered hair over his right eye, clearly caused by an xenomorph during the war. Along with a burn scar that still flamed his skin red even after all of these years, he clearly tried to hide it under his beard. His eyes though were a piercing icy blue, Jonah's mother said that the eyes were a window into a person's soul but he could only guess at what those eyes had witnessed.

That was why Jonah was here though, he'd heard the stories from his grandfather and the other elders but he wanted to hear them from the man himself. He was the last surviving marine from the Reapers that fought in the xenomorph war. Apparently he'd seen it all, the battle for Shanghai, the great exodus, the fall of Manhattan and other countless events.

"It's good to see you brother." The reaper walked forward, a smile lifting away the aggression carved into his expression as he embraced Jonah's grandfather warmly. "I've missed your company."

They separated while his grandfather tapped him lightly on the shoulder. "You too old friend." He looked around with confusion. "Where's Hunter?"

Suddenly though the smile faded away as the reaper looked down with a pained sigh. "He passed away, back legs failed him, must've been around two months ago."

"God... I'm sorry."

"Don't be, he was a good age for a dog and I was with him till the end. Lets get inside Scholar, get you next to the fire."

"Sounds good, the supplies are in the bag."

Without another word the reaper hefted the heavy rucksack, swinging it over his back with ease, despite the fact that Jonah struggled to get it off the ground and he considered himself reasonably fit. Bypassing Jonah without a word he walked with long easy strides towards the cabin.

"Just keep your mouth shut and wait till he gets comfortable." His Grandfather said as they followed at a distance. "You'll get a chance speak later."

Jonah didn't reply, he was too busy looking at what lay at the edge of the clearing, two graves lay with fresh flowers against the backdrop of the bright gas giant with delicately crafted wooden headstones. Beside them an ancient, rusted pulse rifle, it's stock dug into the ground keeping the barrel raised towards the stars. Wrapped around the barrel was a single chain with multiple dog tags encircling the weapon, fluttering weakly in the wind, creating soft chimes as they connected.

Jonah was grateful for the primitive, roaring fireplace once they were inside and despite missing the comfort of the colony the fire provided a strange sensation of homeliness to the young man despite the unknown surroundings. He was given a wooden table chair by the silent reaper while both elders sunk into more comfortable sofa chairs made of real animal leather, both chairs had frayed corners, clearly from the dog that used to live here. He was excluded from conversation for a good hour or two while his grandfather informed the reaper of recent events and news from other colonies.

Despite being old news to Jonah he listened intently to the way the news was answered from the old warrior. He gleaned from his replies that the reaper was disenchanted from the world around him. In a way he wasn't surprised though, up here he was self reliant and despite the visits from his grandfather nothing would ever effect him or the way he lived the rest of his life.

Jonah lost track of time once the talk of current events drew to a close as his grandfather motioned to him to add another log to the fire while he produced large pouches of tobacco from the rucksack.

"Ah Scholar, your my hero. Was almost out." The marine said as he began to roll a few cigarettes, he motioned towards Jonah with one of them. Gratefully he accepted it a he lit it from the fire as he rested back into the chair.

"So storyteller, what's the boy doing here?"

"We had a marine detachment on the last supply run, along with their silver tongue with recruitment. The only way I could keep young Jonah here from leaving here was to let him meet you."

The reaper sniggered as he inhaled a drag from the rolled cigarette. "Nothing ever changes does it, guarantee you the one doing the recruiting was some rear echelon bitch who's never seen combat. Lemme guess kid he told you that the human race needed talented brave youngsters like you to protect us all. That they would mould you into a man and give you a life full of adventure, sound about right?"

Jonah simply nodded, too nervous to speak. The old warrior was nearly right on the point but Jonah didn't want to admit how well the recruiter had persuaded him. He was also surprised to see his grandfather smoking and how this trained killer treated him as an equal. It made him question nearly everything he thought he knew about his grandfather.

"He came home that night to his parents spewing all this glossed over bullshit about how he wanted to enlist. Safe to say I had a visit from them to try and persuade him to abandon this farce, I thought you'd be the man for this task." The Scholar said.

"You couldn't persuade him? Goddamn brother your the warrior of words and you expect me to win this losing battle what's happening to you?"

"I'm getting old and tired friend, you probably wont admit it but I bet your starting to feel time catch up to you. Are your morning runs getting shorter by the year, your sight blurring closer and closer?"

"Jesus your losing your sense of discretion too. But yeah even I'll admit, times catching up to me, not getting the deer as much as I used to. Of all the things I thought would kill me age was something I couldn't train for."

The old marine slumped in his chair as he spoke, defeat hovering above him like a sagging weight as a long minute of silence passed. Jonah decided to take advantage of the moment. "Why did you join the marines sir?"

He pondered the question for a few seconds as he continued to smoke. "I grew up in the middle of Manhattan, shitty neighbourhood and I wasn't very good at school. My big brother was the exact same and he joined the marines to avoid prison, he was flawed but I worshipped the big bastard so I considered joining too. As usual though a girl came along and I slugged out a manufacturing job for a few months until I got the news that he was killed.

I was a wreck when I found out and through some immature insanity I left everything and enlisted. Part of me thought that the only way to make him proud was to be a marine but I was young and stupid."

"Do you regret it?"

"Never." He answered instantly. For a moment he held his face in his callused hands, sitting back up he sniffed loudly and Jonah could see a single tear escape from a face of stone as their eyes met again. "I regret that I'm alive and my brothers aren't."

The reaper rose quickly from his chair and wandered into another room in the cabin, still by the fire Jonah and his grandfather could hear a heavy slam as the marine's loud steps grew more silent.

"Scholar! bring the kid down!" He shouted. "This might hopefully help him make the right decision."

He stood up and motioned for Jonah to follow, they walked through into the hall only to see it disappeared into a cellar. Slowly they came down as Jonah helped his grandfather with the last few steps as there was no light.

That was rectified as the Reaper pulled a cord switch and the entirety of the cellar was unveiled to Jonah's amazement and the Scholar's tears.

The walls were littered with photographs and mounted weapons, photos of marines in jet black armour in all manner of situations including battle. The camera's user was clearly always in close proximity to the marines, some photos showed them as titans facing down the horror, others showed them for what they were, men. Some were of a heaving torrent of civilians huddled together in a degrading squalor, sharing water and ration packs. A rare few were of horrific looking creatures laying dead, the ground around them appeared to have melted beneath them. A single photo was unfocused showing something that towered above a horde of xenomorphs with a demented black crown for a head.

Jonah's eyes scanned around the photos until he gazed at a skull, a completely undamaged xenomorph skull whiter than human bone. Without thinking he walked forward to investigate it further. It was massive, near the size of his leg, ridged along the upper half until he came face to face with the skull. It was eyeless but the teeth were enough to send a chill down Jonah's spine, the mouth was bared open with the infamous jawed tongue protruding forward. He ran a finger along a canine only to wince as it drew blood.

"Watch it kid, forty years later and those teeth are still sharper than any knife. David, you okay?"

Jonah turned to see his grandfather stare dumbfounded and stricken with silent tears as he looked at all the photos, Jonah realised in that moment that his grandfather was the one who took all these photographs.

"I can't believe you kept these, I thought... I thought they were all gone."

The Reaper moved to him and laid an arm over his shoulder as they gazed back into a history that everyone on Horizon had abandoned. Jonah watched them intently, knowing he would never fully know or understand. But he wanted to try.

"Please tell me that you brought some good alcohol."

The Scholar wiped away his tears with a smile. "It's not good but it's strong."

"Good enough for me, if the boy want's to hear this story I'm gonna need some liquid courage to get me in the maudlin mood."

"Sounds hideously perfect. Jonah go get the two bottles out the trunk."

A minute later as Jonah collected the bottles he walked back towards the cabin hoping that he could at least have one drink. The chiming dog tags drew his focus for a moment and without thought he moved towards them for a closer look. The pulse rifle they rested on was badly damaged and rusted beyond repair, even without experience Jonah could tell it had been through a war. He picked up a few of the tags and looked through the names of men consigned to an abandoned memory by people these men had died for.

Emmett, Cutter, Smith, Jackson, Phillips, Briggs. These were a handful of names Jonah read until his grandfather shouted him back to the cabin. Back inside with a drink poured for himself Jonah sank back into his chair. "Is that your rifle out there sir, it looks like its been to hell and back." He asked.

"It's not mine and trust me that rifle has been to hell and more, our home and theirs."

"Who's rifle is it?"

"Death's"


	2. Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

_"I don't know what else you want me to say about it, before that mission I'd never fired my weapon at anyone, I never wanted to. I can't remember how many lives I ended through all that, I remember the first. I didn't see his face or any of that shit, I saw a running target, I fired. Felt the recoil of my weapon and he wasn't running anymore. I didn't have time to think about it, more were coming and we were taking incoming._

 _How do the rest of my squad feel? I think I can speak for those that survived and say we're glad to be alive. We'll never be the same, nobody could go through all that and come out the other end as a normal member of society. For seven days we thought every minute would be our last, we didn't think about duty or the bullshit politics. We just wanted to keep each other in one piece with a pulse._

 _I think that for all of us a piece of us died out there on that planet, maybe it was our sense of fear or our innocence. All I know is that my brothers and sisters died so I could get home to my new born daughter and my wife. I'll never forget them for that._

'Corporal Ryan Jacobs' debrief regarding his mental state after the battle that gave the Reaper Battalion their namesake'

December 23rd 0400 hours Earth Orbit

The Planetary Defence Platform codenamed Gatekeeper Five hovered in orbit over earth like a protective gargoyle, watching the silent, frantic activity of orbital traffic around Earth. The Gatekeepers were relics from the Liberation War ten years ago that ended in an uneasy truce between Colonial Administration and the Unified Free Systems. A cold war of present times not unlike the past cold war from two centuries ago. The UFS was a coalition formed of a nation's worth of people from all walks of life who believed that corporations like Weyland-Yutani and Gencorps controlled the path of modern society and not the government. The sudden separation of factions was not peaceful though as the UFS formed a well-trained militia of former military personnel. Their purpose? To liberate humanity from a universe suffering from corporate greed and corruption.

In a matter of weeks they plundered enough ships and military equipment to create a fleet to rival any governments. After liberating a number of the outer more self sufficient colonies they began to strike against corporate establishments closer into the interior, going so far as to send splinter groups into Earth to target key personnel. Gatekeeper Five was one of eleven other stations that orbited the planet serving as watchtowers, equipped with multiple types of anti-ship weaponry, they were the last line of defence against any UFS invasion or infiltration. That was ten years ago though, now they served the purpose as glorified border control, replacing the now ancient Antarctica Traffic Control Station.

Staffed by fifty personnel on an annual rotation, a posting here was considered a privileged one as the salary was equal to deep space personnel without having to travel and it offered leave periods on Earth. Flight controller Richard Bell sat at his desk in the station's control room on a nightshift duty or what was considered nightshift. A Gatekeeper rotation was six months of endless night. The control room spanned a length of thirty meters, shaped rectangular on a single floor with four rows of desks facing a panoramic window that covered the room's length facing outward into the black of space. Each desk housed seven monitors that were ablaze with activity around the clock, shift handovers were always a hectic few minutes of information exchange between controllers. The room was completely Spartan except from the mementos everyone had placed on their respective desks, photos of family members, coffee mugs etc. Everyone mostly kept to themselves on this shift as ships always passed through them no matter the time of day so the workload was intense and isolating at times. The nocturnal silence was only interrupted by one of the controllers talking through their headset to a ship pilot authorising and guiding them in or the occasional conversation during a rare quiet period.

As Richard sat waiting for the next ship to pass through he took a cigarette out from the packet beside his monitor and lit it. Taking the first draw he exhaled with a smile as the nicotine settled into his system, he reached into the packet and saw one remaining cigarette and only an hour to go before his shift ended. Laying the packet down he smiled and continued to smoke until he heard footsteps coming from behind him, he spun his swivel chair around to face them, cigarette in mouth and hands relaxing behind his head

"Hey Bell how's things going" His colleague asked, his voice rising at the end of his question, like he wanted something.

"Same as you Hiller just doing the same thing we always do on every one of these shitty nightshifts" Bell flicked his cigarette into the ashtray and took a draw, inhaled it for a few seconds and blew it in Hiller's face with a smile. "What do you want anyway? Make it quick I got a ship coming into range in a minute."

Hiller rubbed his hands in front of him with a nervous glance "Was wondering if you could crash me a cigarette till the shift ended?"

"No chance, I've only got one left" Bell replied

"Oh c'mon man" Hiller pleaded with arms spread. "I gave you one a couple shifts ago, it's only fair"

"Yeah that's only cause the Captain did his usual trick and stole mine when I wasn't looking" Bell said as the monitor behind him started bleeping an alarm, the sign that a ship was in range of his sensor. He spun his chair around and began typing on his keyboard as Hiller walked back to his desk in a mood.

Reading the ships signature on the monitor Bell froze for a moment, the signature that came up shouldn't have been possible.

"Hiller get back over here now! I got something really fucking weird" Bell shouted, the other six staff looked in his direction, busy in their own tasks but keeping an ear out for the commotion.

Hiller ran back over. "Look man, unless it's a bloody ghost ship you're humped, no cigarette no help"

Bell eyes left the monitor and met Hillers "It is a ghost ship. My scanners are coming up saying it's the USS Sulaco"

"Bullshit" Hiller spat out "It's been missing for a year, have you double checked, wouldn't be the first time the sensors picked up the wrong ship ID."

"I've triple checked; it's reading the Sulaco, a heavy class gravity towing ship and another unidentified ship. Shit its awaiting acknowledgment for passage into orbit" Bell leaned back in his chair with a face as pale as snow, He turned towards Hiller with a look that screamed helplessness. "What the hell do I do? This is too fucking weird I remember signing that ship out when I started my posting"

Hiller stood over Bell's chair, one hand on the chair's back the other on the desk, his face focused intently on the monitor with furrowed brows. "You gotta get the Captain in here, this needs higher approval, if he doesn't sign off on it we are gonna have to alert Planetary Defence, this could turn into a shitstorm real fast"

"Okay tell you what you get him and you can have that cigarette when we hand this over"

"Sounds good I'll be back with the Captain in a couple minutes" Hiller said as he turned around and ran towards the control room door, his dramatic exit causing a stir among the rest of the staff. They started shouting across the desks towards Bell but he was listening to another voice, one coming through his headset that focused all of his attention.

"Calling Gatekeeper Five, this is Marine Recovery Team Alpha Two awaiting acknowledgement for entry into orbit please respond" The voice in Bell's ear stated, it was a male's voice with an air of annoyance at not receiving a response. Bell wasn't sure what to say at all to this man, he was still shocked at what he had just discovered, he decided to be bluntly honest to try and shed some light on the mysterious situation.

"Sulaco this is Gatekeeper Five I'm waiting for higher approval on your request, in the meantime give me your ship's docking ID." Every ship's superior officer had the number as a pass key to allow for fast approval to stop the controllers getting bogged down and the shipping lanes being jammed.

"Gatekeeper Five the ID number is 167391, awaiting acknowledgement"

Bell accessed the ID files on the monitor, he had to wade through the system to find an ID that hadn't been used in a year, finally he found it and upon reading it his heart dropped. The monitor read the ID as 199560.

Unsure of how to proceed he sat listening to the same sentence in his ear numerous times as the signal on his monitor read the ships as holding position.

"Awaiting acknowledgement" The speaker repeated this numerous times until the entrance door to the control room opened behind him. As Bell turned he saw Captain Edgan approach his desk, Bells irritation rose as he noticed the fact that the Captain had taken the extra time to dress in his Officer's uniform. The man always put appearance before anything else; the joke among the staff on the station was that he took a shower before and after he had taken a shit. When he approached the desk he looked down at Bell like he was an insect, his stare was forced, Bell could tell but he wouldn't back down so he stared back.

"I'll have the desk now Bell, you can finish your shift early" Edgan ordered, his stare unwavering.

"But sir…" Bell pointed to the monitor showing the Sulaco's original docking ID. "The guy on the other end is giving me the wrong ID and there is an unknown ship in its radar shadow, whatever it is its big and they are trying to hide it. We need to alert the Planetary…"

"Enough!" The captain stated with a hand raised palm facing towards Bell. "Get your ass out the chair and give me some room to work."

Bell ripped the headset off his head throwing it on the desk and shot up out his chair. "Sir this goes against so many regulations that I will have to take it past you to someone higher in the chain of command."

The captain wasn't intimidated in the slightest he merely just smiled. "You could try young man but you'd have difficulty doing that from inside a prison cell. I'm following a request from my superiors. You are impeding me in my duty, a criminal act carrying a minimum sixteen year custodial sentence." Edgan paused briefly letting his silence hammer the consequences home as he stared down Bell an assured victory. "You are dismissed Richard. Good night."

Visibly shaking with outrage Bell stormed across the room to the exit, halfway through the room he could hear his colleagues whisper between themselves. He paused his departure to watch the captain sit down, donning the headset as he started to communicate to the ghost ship.

Bell watched Edgan fuming at the fact he couldn't hear what the captain was saying as his colleagues shared their inconsequential thoughts at tonight's drama but one of them was still staring at his monitor, his gaze unwavering. Keenan was one of the senior controllers on the station who had been working on the station since it was first handed over by the military. He was a solitary man who always kept to himself so his statement commanded Bell's attention

"Bell, I think your right on this one something is really off, come here" Keenan stated his eyes still locked to the monitor as Bell rounded the desk to lean over Keenan.

"What is it? Tell me I ain't overreacting please"

"Okay bear with me. When these stations were first built the military engineers installed a special program onto the sensors that acted in the same way as atmospheric sensors except it monitors the materials a ship is made from."

Bell took his eyes away from the monitor to look at the captain, his suspicions were realised when he saw the monitor screen. _._

"The bastards guiding them through to orbit."

"Bell stay with me" Keenan demanded.

"Sorry, what about the sensors?" Bells eyes darted back to the screen.

"That unidentified ship, the sensor isn't recognising the materials it's made from, unless it's a military prototype I'd bet my salary on it that it's alien in origin."

Bell let out a heavy sigh. "Jesus Christ" He breathed. "So what do we do"?

"Right now we both keep our mouths shut and play along, I have a contact in the marines who I'll get in touch with as soon as I can. Not sure when I'll get a reply but this is way over our heads and we need to play it safe." Keenan stopped talking his attention focussed on the monitor. "The ships just entered orbit, Jesus it didn't even head to Gateway station for quarantine, this just confirms my theory. Okay get outta here Bell and keep your goddamn head down"

Bell had noticed that the Captain had already left and he swiftly returned to his desk to power down his station. His thoughts were a blur, the only thing he could think of doing was having his last cigarette. As he picked up the packet he flicked open the lid and his night ended on a low note, the packet was empty.

"Motherfucker did it again."

0

December 23rd 0430 hours Xiaoyang Island Shanghai

As Annabelle Weyland stood inside the facility's control tower surrounded by flight control and security staff, she was unsure what to expect of her father's undisclosed plans. He left Earth without as much as a goodbye to her, leaving the company's board of directors and her to the mercies of her brother's fluctuating mood. As she watched the Sulaco descend into the dry dock, with her father on board, she questioned why he had left at all for so long. Her question was answered as the gravity towing ship lowered, below it was a ship, a ship that upon laying eyes on it shocked her so much she had to seat herself on the chair next to the flight controller guiding the ships in. It's design was unlike anything anyone on the facility had seen before, it's U-shaped hull was covered with a dark material that was criss-crossed with rigid lines from one side to another. Whereas most human ships were designed geometrically straight and industrial this ship gave was completely curved not a single ninety degree angle in sight. Its design defined the word 'alien' floating with an unnerving grace, its form dark and ethereal awakening something deep and unsettling within her unconscious mind.

As the ship was lowered above the facility her brother entered the room whistling a merry tune like it was any other day. Charles Weyland had always been different, being the son and heir to the wealthiest, most powerful man in the world his childhood was unlike any others, having his every need and want met. Among all that he was home tutored by the best teachers money could buy to be raised in his father's shadow to run a company whose reach spanned all of known space. The pleasures and pressures of this lifestyle had changed him during his childhood, he could ace academic exams that were made for children years his senior, he was fiercely intelligent but there was a darker side. A side only she had seen, one whose anger she feared to unleash if she attempted to disclose it.

When he was twelve and she was six they were staying at their father's mansion in England. Her father had gifted Annabelle a kitten for her six birthday, she adored it and spent the next week with her and the kitten joined at the hip. One morning though she had awoken to find the kitten gone, she had searched the grounds of the mansion for days but there was no sign, the house's servants had come to the conclusion that the animal had ran away. Annabelle found the answer though twelve years later as she searched the basement for family photos of her late mother she had found a small cloth sack beneath a large heavily dust clad pile of furniture. Emptying the bag on the floor she discovered small delicate bones along with a tiny feline skull, her first feelings was of shock paralysing her as the answer to a childhood mystery was revealed. She realised then that her brother had a darker side to the intelligent and charming young man who was gaining more and more influence in the company. Because of this event and other haunting encounters she knew one thing; she would never feel safe around her brother.

"So it looks like father has finally decided to come home" Charles stated as he stood behind her. Dressed in his best in a jet black suit with his hair slicked back giving him a sharp but slightly morbid look if it wasn't for his sneering grin.

"You look like you're dressed for a funeral" Annabelle remarked.

"Maybe I am, from what I've been told by the scientists this facility will no doubt be the final resting place of a few lost desperate souls" Charles joked.

Annabelle turned to her brother her stern features only accentuated by her auburn hair being tied back in a tight bun. "This isn't a joke Charles, quite frankly I'm disgusted that father is investing so much in this far-fetched endeavour, if the rumours I hear are true he's endangering all of us"

"So you're playing the role of humanitarian now my ice-blooded sister, don't fret we have quarantine procedures in place as you will now see" Charles said as he held out his hand gesturing towards the alien ship outside. The towing ship positioned the alien craft on the west side of the island a mile out just above the water. All of a sudden small tremors shook the island nearly toppling Anna's already fragile sense of stability as she tried to observe the source of the disturbance. A giant metal platform near a mile squared surfaced from the water like a gargantuan cargo lift underneath the ships just enough to expel the water from the top. A giant crevice began to open as the platform split in two, sliding in opposite directions like a massive airlock door. When the doors were finally open the towing ship lowered the alien craft down until it disappeared inside the structure, afterwards the airlock sealed itself and lowered back into the sea once more, camouflaging the extra-terrestrial horror inside.

Annabelle stood frozen once more in shock and surprise, she turned to face her brother again. "What is on that ship Charles? What the hell is this place really?"

"This facility has been under construction for the past six months, its entire purpose is to study and contain what lies in that ship. Every member of staff is contracted to secrecy. Father is nearing the end of his time and the possibilities from this discovery are endless. This is going to be his legacy." Charles explained that sinister smile never leaving his lips as he walked towards the door. "Come Annabelle let us go and meet father and see what he has brought home for Christmas"

0

December 23rd 0600 hours Mars

The first escape in any kind of torture situation is memories. Instinctively the body will flee in anyway it can away from the pain, either through the iron chains of courage or through the restraints of an enemy. Private Colin Watts stood weakly in a dark featureless room, illuminated by a single beam aimed from directly above him. His eyes ever struggling to adjust to the dark corners of the room and the silent figure ahead of him shrouded in shadow. Malnourished, dehydrated and exhausted beyond all measure, he would've given anything to at least sit down and rest his legs.

If that was even possible, his arms were uncomfortably raised to his sides for so long that to even think of moving them he would send them into spasm. The ropes were tied tightly around his wrists, without the buffer of his current suffering he knew that they were numb to the point of uselessness.

The figure stepped lightly towards him until the light barely greeted the front of his body, clad entirely in black, his face was masked with black cloth highlighted with the stitching of a human jaw bone. The mask and his silent persona gave Watts nothing to visually seek comfort or recognition in. He was being questioned by something not human, a ghost.

"This pain can end Private." The ghost spoke softly as he raised Watts' chin so they could meet eye to eye. "You can be sitting with a hot meal in fresh clothes within five minutes if you just give me the code. You've done so well, everyone else has given us their codes. Their all sitting in the mess stuffing their faces." He walked away and returned with a plastic plate laden with freshly cooked beef and vegetables. The aroma was consuming in it's promise of tasting ecstasy and release. The shadow of a man brought the plate closer, just barely in reach of his mouth."

"Give me the code and it's yours. If your parents could see how much you've overcome they would be so proud."

The shadows last words sprung Watts' mind back into the sanctuary of memory, he needed to forget the pain, he needed to remember why he was here. His mind fled back to a week ago, back to before he set foot on Mars.

0

December 16th 0400 hours Mars

He sat strapped into the flight harness in the back of a Cheyenne Dropship as he dozed without dreams, he didn't need dreams anymore as his lifelong ambition came had finally came to fruition, he was now a marine. Growing up in a quiet town in Wisconsin he had lived a troubled childhood in the shadow of his father, who after the death of Watts' mother by cancer at the age of seven had become a serious alcoholic. Over the rest of his time at elementary school he suffered physical abuse daily from his father who would hit him over any small fault. His favourite had been to stub a cigarette on Colin's back if he had come home with a bad report or news that he had been suspended due to fighting with other children. At times Colin would have to steal food from local stores because his father drank their pitiful welfare away.

It all ended for the better one night when he was twelve, he came home from the store with a stolen sandwich to find the front door of his house kicked down. When he approached he heard voices, none of them his father's, not knowing what to do next he went to the local bar where his father always haunted. As he stepped inside he found his father slouching on a bar stool only halfway to his usual level of inebriation, tugging at his father's shirt he turned around. Once he told him what he saw his dad flew into a fit of rage throwing his fists in all directions, striking his son to the ground in the process. As he lay there looking upon his wreck of a father a man in camouflage clothing tried to restrain him, he lashed out again only to miss as the soldier slammed his head against the bar.

After the commotion the bartender called the police, as they were waiting the soldier picked Watts up and inspected the lump forming on his forehead. He could remember the conversation exactly even to this day.

"How you holding up kid, you feeling dizzy at all?"

Watts nodded as the nausea flooded his senses and he vomited weakly the sickly, creamy substance dripping down his top. He felt ashamed at this display in public, the soldier seemed to notice his shame and hoisted him up to carry him behind the bar. As he crouched down beside the boy he stripped the soiled shirt from Watts and recoiled in shock at the bruises and healed burns covering his frail body. Removing his camouflage jacket wrapping it around him tenderly the soldier shot back up and proceeded around the bar throwing Watts' unconscious father onto the floor and proceeded to drag him outside like a trash bag. He returned and sat next to Watts, feeding him a hot burger from the bar and a soda as well as some snacks. Watts could see that the soldier's knuckles were bloodied. They sat in silence for a short while until the police arrived with two women who stood staring at him with pity heavy in their eyes while the man told them what had happened. Once he finished he crouched down again beside Watts and gently rubbed his shoulders with heavy hands.

"Hey kiddo, listen you're never going to have to deal with him again okay these people are gonna take care of you now." The soldier said gently.

"Who are they" Watts asked meekly.

"These people are from child services who are gonna take you away to a home where you're gonna be well looked after okay. I'm gonna take you to the car but I'll check on you when I'm back on leave but for now you gotta be brave okay?"

Watts nodded and he was lifted again and carried to the car, when he was set down he started to take the jacket off to give back.

"Keep it, just promise me you will be good to these nice people" He ordered

"I promise"

As he climbed into the car he shouted to his saviour who was walking away. "Are you in the army?"

He turned around and smiled "No kid I'm in the Marine Corps, big difference."

His memories and slumber were eradicated by a hard slap across his face.

"Wake up private! The corps ain't paying you to sleep."

He rubbed his cheek, feeling a small lump on the edge of his cheek bone, looking around the cargo bay of the Dropship most of the twenty recruits looked terrified. The Lance Corporal kept walking down the middle of the bay eyeballing both rows of seats on each wall barking so loudly he was deafening. He gave the impression that he was going to hand out pulse rifles and ask them to storm an enemy bunker.

"Well done ladies you made it past basic and you all passed out with your private stripes, you all think you're pretty special don't you?" He stomped towards Watts looking him straight in the eye but at the last possible minute he swung his head towards the recruit to his right bringing his face so close that they were breathing the same air. "Don't you marine?" He growled.

"Sir yes sir!" the recruit shouted back.

"Good." He sniggered as he walked away. "I got so much testosterone there I felt a tickle in my balls"

The recruits started to laugh, it wasn't too funny to Watts but he recognised that it broke the tension for a moment. He noticed the LC stopped midstride putting his hand against his headset.

"A minute till landing ladies, get your asses up NOW!" He screamed.

All of the recruits released their flight harnesses and formed into two columns of ten with the Lance Corporal front and centre with his hands firmly behind his waist.

"When we land we are to report to a briefing on the double!" The corporal stated as the dropship landed with a heavy thud that reverberated through the cargo bay like a tin can nearly stumbling Watts and the recruits while the corporal stood in place like a statue.

As the dropship's ramp lowered the cargo bay was swamped by a warm rush of hot air and coarse particles of red dust, annihilating the sense of unsteady calm among the recruits and turning it into deep apprehension.

"Welcome to Camp Elder ladies, home to Special Operations Command and Psy-Ops, trust me this place will make its own introductions soon enough now GET OFF THE FUCKING SHIP NOW! MOVE! MOVE! MOVE!" He shouted as the two columns left the dropship with haste.

Once they left the safety of the dropship it became clear to Watts why this place made its own introductions, it was a vicious attack on the senses. Unlike the Boot Camp back on Earth where the recruits got a minute taste of the power of the Marine Corps, here it was overwhelming. Looking around him as he jogged beside his fellow recruits he could see they had been landed past the main dry dock of the base but even that was impressive enough. Countless buildings, some at least a hundred metres tall, beside some buildings were the star ship dock bays. These massive crescent U-shape supports designed to hold the ship in place like a vice grip, while the complex and robust hydraulic supports underneath held the thousands of tons of ship in place. As they jogged to the entrance of what looked to be a warehouse a formation of F86 light attack fighters stormed overhead, their audible roars echoed long after they passed. All around them were different groups of Special Forces, recognizable by their uniform and patches. Watts could see everything from Force Recon to the historic Navy Seals. As they proceeded on a series of thunderous booming sounds hammered into the base from miles away. Each thunderclap was preceded by a small vibrating tremble that travelled under the recruits' feet. They each stared at each other with mouths gaping open, a question look in their eyes.

"Enough fly catching! It's ground fire from a ship's railgun, c'mon keep up" The Corporal ordered as he led them inside the warehouse. As they entered they were given a relief from the hard biting wind and the harsh glare of the sun. The warehouse was actually an old storage hanger filled with eight smaller walled and roofed rooms, once again the recruits were baffled and confused. The corporal noticed and had to explain, he was sick to death of being a damn tour guide.

"These are the spec-ops CQC killing houses, each one is always laid out differently each exercise by a specialist set of droids" he opened the door and let the recruits through first. As they sat down in the four rows of five seats set out in the shape of four corners of the square, the corporal stood next to the open door, leaning his back against the wall.

"You lot comfortable?" He barked with a heavy scowl.

"Yes sir!" They answered in perfect unison.

"Good keep your asses in the seats till the CO gets here should be a few minutes….." He stepped through the open door and peeked his head back through. "Oh and by the way good luck" He left with a loud bang as he slammed the door shut.

After nearly thirty seconds of silence they all began to speak in low, hushed voices, each pondering why they were even brought here. Watts sat on the end of the forward right row pondering as to why they were dummies placed in random places around the room, some standing, some placed in seats like the ones they had all been placed in.

"I was wondering that too, weird isn't it?" The speaker was the marine sitting next to him, a tall and imposing young man with light blonde hair and a permanent frown that made him looked like he was pissed off 24/7.

"Yeah its fucking suspicious all right, maybe they are coming to brief the dummies instead to show us how good marines take orders." Watts said with a sneer.

The comment made the other marine chuckle and he held out his hand to Watts. "Names Nathan Drake"

"Colin Watts" he said as he shook Drake's hand, trying desperately to keep his composure, Drake's grip was like a vice. Once he had released his grip he checked his watch, it had been a few minutes since the Lance Corporal had left and he wondered how much more they would have to wait.

His question was answered as the lights in the room shut off, completely wrapping the recruits in a pitch black, claustrophobic embrace. Before any of them could even get up, two doors on opposite sides of the room were kicked open as dark figures stormed inside the room. Pulse rifle fire thundered as the recruits dived to the floor, clattering chairs and landing on top of their comrades. Watts, lying prone with his hands pressing against his ears watched as the muzzle flash illuminated dark clad soldiers that looked more like demons than marines. Their eyes were replaced with the tinted green of night vision goggles, their lower faces covered in rags that were covered in white flashes that formed the shape of a human jaw bone.

For a brief moment the gunfire stopped and just as Watts began to pick himself back up he was hammered back into the floor face first by an aggressive, firm hand.

"Stay on the fucking floor! Don't move!" A voice growled, his voice echoed strength and control even under the muffling of his mask.

The lights flickered back to life as Watts could see the floor beneath him. Gazing around he could see each of the recruits were positioned similarly with these faceless marines standing above them, guns trained on their backs. Some continued to resist but were violently shoved back down and controlled. Drake had a marine kneeling into his back to keep him down.

It was the last thing he saw in that room as a black hood was wrapped around his face, consuming his eyes and his ears as they were flooded with visual suffocation and the claustrophobic sound of his own erratic breathing. He could feel someone lean in close, their breaths emanated a small patch of warmth through the cloth into his ear.

"Your code is 92." The voice whispered close. "Say this number and you'll be free."

Before he could react he was hoisted up like a weightless ragdoll and he was pushed into a week of the most intense physical torture and stress designed to break even the toughest people down to their core. But Watts grew in torture and stress at a young age and when it matters it's incredible what a human being can adapt to.

0

December 26th 0630 hours Mars

After another half hour of silence the ghost had waited long enough. In the shadows he ate the meal in front of Watts, commenting on how good the beef was and how full he now felt. He approached Watts and began to untie his wrists, the first arm dropped like a lead weight as the blood flooded through the limb again. As the second was untied Watts crumpled heavily into the floor, a marionette with it's strings cut by an unhappy master.

"Guard!" The ghost shouted.

The door opened and a similarly dressed marine marched in to stand beside Watts' defeated body with a stony posture as he waited for orders.

"Get this piece of meat out of my sight and ready him for the next exercise."

"Yes sir" The marine lifted Watts' effortlessly and walked him out the room, before leaving though Watts took a last glance at the ghost and their eyes met again.

"I'm disappointed in you Private." He muttered towards Watts as a last nudge to see if it would later break him.

For a minute the interrogator sat alone in the near darkness before he took the mask off, casting it aside he let out a relieving sigh. Gunnery Sergeant Ryan Jacobs was never fond of this part of the selection process. He excelled at it but it never meant he enjoyed it. Standing at an average height of just under six feet tall, he was heavily built but he carried himself lightly for his size.

The leader of 1st squad of the Reaper battalion continued to evaluate Private Watts current performance as well as the other nine recruits out of the twenty that began. He didn't expect to have this many this far in, maybe he was getting soft. Either way he was going to have to do something drastic to weed them down to the two he needed by tonight.

The door opened once more and one of his team leaders walked in. Staff Sergeant Emmett was a sniper by profession but Jacobs knew from personal experience that he was brutally violent up close. "So how did that one go Ryan?"

"We need to get rid of the weaklings. Fast." Jacobs answered as his earpiece scrambled into life.

"Jacobs, Briggs wants you up in the SATCOM tower once you're finished with the recruits."

The speaker was Captain Jeremy Phillips, the 18th's new second in command and Jacob's own personal bane, Phillips was a fighter but Jacobs loathed the man still. "Roger that Phillips, any idea what it's about?" Jacobs asked.

"Something about one of the gatekeeper stations on Earth and its Captain to you Staff Sergeant" Phillips corrected, his tone irritated.

"Tell him I'll get there ASAP Phillips, Jacobs out." The comm line died and he headed for the door. "Briggs want's me in the tower. Your in charge of selection I want the stragglers gone. Be creative."

"Will do Boss, I'll try not to enjoy it too much." Emmett said with a menacing sneer.

0

The Satellite Communications Tower of Camp Elder was never quiet, as the base of Special Forces command it was the focal point of communications between Higher command, Colonial Intelligence and the other special forces battalions on operations in deep space. The main control room was shrouded in a dark gloom, the only light in the room emanated from the hundred monitors that were staffed by communications officers who worked daily on fourteen hour shifts. Constantly scanning through intelligence reports for that long created in a darkened, windowless room created a very peculiar breed of people, Briggs thought as he paced through the room.

Major Craig Briggs didn't come from a leisured lifestyle like the rest of his Officer counterparts of the Corps, as such his conscience couldn't help but wonder how these people retained sanity under these working conditions. They never complained though and their discipline and skill never ceased to amaze him. His amazement though was a cold memory as he re-read the transcript one of them brought to him from one of the officer's contacts on Gatekeeper Five on Earth. The officer had rushed inside the Command room thirty minutes ago and slapped the paper copy of the message on his desk. After hearing where the message was from Briggs read it with a curious eye at what had prompted such a rushed entrance.

It read:

'Mark this is Mathew Keenan from Gatekeeper Five, I have to keep this quiet because the shits going to hit the fan when this gets out. I have just had the USS Sulaco pass my station with an incorrect docking code. I didn't let it through though, my colleague was superseded by my station Captain who took his desk and let it through, even bypassing quarantine procedures straight into orbit. The next part is pure speculation but it was trying to radar shield another ship being towed by a gravity tower, I scanned it and as far as I can tell it's not of human origin. This is something that's way out of my league, I need you to put this in the right, trusted hands because this screams some clandestine corporate activity. Don't reply because someone has started monitoring communications on board the station but please investigate this. Keenan out.

As Briggs lowered the manuscript he laid eyes on Jacobs as he made his way past the army of desks and rushing comm officers. Walking into the office, he looked through the glass pane wall facing the larger room watching the staff work like bees in a hive. His concentration was broken by Briggs throwing the document on the table along with a cigarette. As he lit the cigarette with his black zippo he read over the document, at the mention of one name his face opened up in surprise.

"Is this credible?" Jacobs asked.

"Not a hundred percent but if it's true who has the political and financial weight to bring a missing marine ship along with an unidentified ship onto home soil?" Briggs asked.

"Weyland Yutani or one of the other big corporations, maybe Gencorp"

"Whoever it is though where the hell has the Sulaco been for the past year? We checked the colony ourselves when the ship didn't arrive back for three weeks."

"I know I was on the ground but the place was annihilated, like the fallout of a nuke, we concluded that the atmosphere processor went critical."

"Well we can conclude now that the UFS probably wasn't involved"

"Definitely, the place was a shithole with no strategic advantage, but the question is…." Jacobs said as he sat in the chair opposite Briggs. "…is what do we do next?"

Briggs leaned back in his chair and exhaled a long drag from his cigarette lost in his thoughts for the next few moments, he then leaned back forward and stubbed his cigarette in the ashtray. "Let me take care of that, you get finished up weeding through these recruits, on that subject any look promising to you?" Briggs asked.

Jacobs chuckled. "There as green as grass but they caused the Instructors a lot of headache, exactly the foundation I'm looking for. I've got me eye on a couple but they might drop out tonight for all we know"

"Wow Sergeant, you just kidnap them straight after passing out, drag them off planet and you put them through hell and expect to get results within a week."

"Yes" Jacobs stated blankly "You don't realise sir but a week's enough, I know better than most is that we need to crush them to get the best out of them. Emmett is going to run them ragged tonight and I'll take over tomorrow"

"Good then get on with it!" Briggs ordered. Jacobs rose out of the chair, stubbed the cigarette and walked towards the door. As he began to walk out the door Briggs shouted him back in. "Take Bishop with you, he can help with the selection plus I don't want him getting wind of this business just yet, poor synthetic is like a bloodhound when he gets a sniff of something"

"Yeah I'll grab him on the way back, radio me if you need me." Jacobs mentioned as he left the room leaving Briggs in silence, his ears only hearing the pulse of his own heartbeat in the sound-proof room. His thoughts ablaze like a speeding traffic junction, struggling to hold a cohesive thought he centred his mind on the objective at hand, he needed people he could trust in on this. As his mind settled into something close to calm he lit another cigarette and started typing away on his computer searching for allies in a lonely, politically corrupted universe.

0

It had been half an hour since Annabelle's father had landed, walking with Charles down to the dry dock deck she wanted to slap him the moment she saw him. She was furious with him, he had left a year ago without so much as a buy or leave, abandoning her to watch her brother annihilate any hope of a stable board of directors. With no Chief Executive the board turned from minor nuisances into a corporate snake pit with scheme after scheme. With her estranged brother in command of the company he let the snakes stir where she would have stopped the threat at the root just like her father would've done. It turned for the worse when she had been shut out of the board completely not three months ago, just as she had found out the company was bleeding heavy amounts of capital into an unnamed project. In the next week that followed two board members were found dead in their homes under suspicious circumstances, both of them she knew personally. After that she stopped asking questions and retreated to the family mansion in England until a week ago when her brother landed his personal shuttle on the front lawn. He stormed into the house with two company mercenaries at his side demanding that she come with him, his mood was one of unpredictable violence. One she had no wish to feel the full force of so she accompanied him to Shanghai.

Walking beside her Charles couldn't look happier, in his mind Annabelle suspected, he was relieved that he could continue his agendas with the political protection of their father. She swore that without their father he would have been committed years ago. As they approached the Marine star ship she thought it looked like a defeated titan its name on the side of the hull painted over, erasing visible evidence of it's identity and history. It's crew all but forgotten, lost souls. She inwardly cursed her father, this ship was a mere puppy compared to the titanic wolves that the Marine Corps possessed in their fleets.

The boarding deck was nothing more than square platform nearly a hundred metres square sitting adjacent to the ship resting on the dock's U-supports. Where she expected to see marked containers lining the deck, she saw a score of company mercs on stretchers heavily wounded. She also saw a few body bags lined behind them, their stark black rubber material forcing her eyes to gaze upon them, flooding her conscience with questions of the bags contents. Her eyes were drawn to her father as he descended the ships massive cargo ramp, he looked exhausted to her and a massive bandage enveloped the left of his head covering his ear and the back of most of his head. Walking towards them he appeared determined, like a dormant fire had been lit deep within him.

He stood before them, silently assessing them for a moment like an artist with a painting, checking for flaws and at the same time for greatness. Annabelle only hoped he would see the corruption within his son, she was wrong as he embraced him first. After which he looked to her with a deep smile, she wiped it away with the palm of her hand striking the right side of his face. As the crack of the blow sounded around the deck the medics attending the wounded fell silent as the grave, shocked at the display. Benedict Weyland rubbed the right side of his face with a gloved hand, never ceasing to stop eye contact with Annabelle he finally addressed her with another glowing smile.

"My my, dear Anna how much like your mother you have grown, she would have been so proud" he praised

"Enough Father what the hell is going on?" she demanded

"All in due time first of all I need to be filled in on the ship's status and security needs to be raised exponentially." He tried to pass through the two but Anna was having none of it as she pushed him back. Her brother's face was hanging open in shock that she spoke to their father like that.

"Not so fast what the hell did you bring here? Did you even go through the quarantine or did you abuse your seat on the ICC again?"

He stared at her without words, the silence alone was confirmation enough for her as she stomped away from them. Turning to his son he laid a hand on his shoulder. "Son take me to it and make sure the soldiers are well looked after they served me well in getting it here. On that subject make sure the security is raised, Gencorp were on our heels the minute we extracted it and they are determined" He commanded.

"It will be as you say father, come I will show you the facility, it is near completion apart from a few superficial pieces to be completed." Charles stated as they shadowed Anna to the facility outbuilding.

"Good and who did you pick to be in charge of security?" he asked.

"James Cormack, he seemed to be the most suitable candidate"

Suddenly Anna turned and shot back towards her brother. "You manipulative shit!" She nearly screamed the words. "Did you just bring him here to torment me for your own fucking pleasure?"

"What's going on now?" Their father asked

"Just after you left Earth there was an attempted assassination on our lives. Afterwards Cormack was assigned to her protective detail, they decided to use your house as a romantic getaway for a few weeks" He sniggered as the venom dripped from his words.

"You bastard! I swear to god that…"

"Enough!" Benedict commanded holding both hands up in a metaphoric effort to push away his children's personal battle. "We have more important things to deal with right now, as for this incident with you and Cormack." He looked to Anna. "I will deal with the both of you together at a later date, Charles take us to the ship"

"Of course father" Charles said as he leaded them to the facility entrance. From the outside it didn't look like much. A central tower of sleek metal covered with thin sheets of black tinted glass, at its head seated the control tower. It was centred in between two shorter building that housed the scientists, security and logistical staff, both buildings stretched out at forty five degree angles like the foot of a giant bird. With the same design as the tower, giving the facade of nothing more than a faceless commercial estate, it showed nothing of the horror that lurked below the surface.

Passing through the large automatic sliding doors the entrance hall showed another veil of the façade. A blank white hallway welcomed them with a security station positioned beside the entrance. The only access forward through two metal detectors, the two men sat in the station sipping on coffee looked the part of security guards, with their cheap plastic nametags and punitive side arms. But Anna knew that these men were mercenaries, hired professional soldiers that killed for her family's company as long as there was money involved. She had no doubt that they would have rifles hidden under their tables in case of the worse.

Walking through the building they had passed through large offices filled with logistical staff, as with the hallway the rooms were white giving a clinical almost sterile appearance to the building's interior. After that they had reached a large elevator door almost eight feet in height and double that across. As Charles stepped forward to press a single red button surrounded by a black and yellow hazard pattern a small screen burst into life with a mercenary on the other side facing away and talking. As the call alarm sounded continuously he continued to talk, completely ignoring and infuriating Charles.

"Yeah I'll come and watch the game when we rotate now get lost gotta buzz and process this impatient prick" the mercenary said as he turned towards the camera. His face opened up in shock within a millisecond, his face appearing pale even through the patchy video feed as he realised who was on the other side of it. "Oh my god I'm sorry Mr Weyland please I thought you were one of the lab techs I'm so sorry." He said with a voice filled with fear and uncertainty, aware of his boss's eruptive reputation.

Charles flung his hand up waving it left and right briefly. "Think nothing of it my friend trust me I've been called worse" He joked. "Send up the lift please, my father wishes to see his prize"

"No problem sir" As he said that they could hear the approaching hum of the rising elevator. "As an apology sir please dock my bonus" the merc added.

"No need for that" Charles added as he gestured towards the door with his head bowed like a glorified servant. "Age and beauty before genius".

Standing in the elevator it was obvious to Anna that it was to be used for heavy amounts of personnel or cargo due to its immense size. Spartan like the rest of the facility above its only contrasting feature was the two emergency escape panels positioned on the roof.

"What's put you in such a good mood? Surprised you didn't scream at him and fire him, but I guess because father is here you will act the good boy" Anna chided.

"I'm in a good mood at because now that he is back I can return to my neglected duties."

"Drugging secretaries and strangling defenceless animals isn't duty brother" She regretted saying that the moment the words left her mouth as he stared daggers into her.

At this outburst Benedict turned to his children, his face clenched in anger. "This stops now between you two. As of this moment you will behave in a manner that is equal to your positions, not two bickering siblings stabbing insults at each other." He said before he released a heavy sigh clenching the bridge of his forehead with his hand.

The small act turned Anna's attention to her father's welfare and the unknown events that proceeded his late arrival. "Just exactly what is this place father and where the hell have you been? When you left you said that you would be back within a month, now here you are a year later with a ghost ship full of injured soldiers, an alien relic by the looks of it and a massive bandage across half your face." She laid a tender hand on the injured side of his face. "I'm sorry Dad but you look like you've been through hell"

He grasped her hand and lowered it away from him. "It's a good comparison" he said "I left to secure something that would ensure our companies position at the top of the corporate food chain for generations to come. We don't have time for me to explain but I promise Annabelle when we do have the time I will explain everything." As he finished explaining the cargo lift thudded to a halt and the door slid open revealing another security station and another cargo lift.

As they strode towards it Anna saw her brother smiling and waving at the soldier who not a few minutes ago insulted him, his calmness unsettled her more than one his outbursts would. As they entered the second elevator she wondered how deep they would have to go, it seemed to her that they were descending into hell itself. The claustrophobic atmosphere slowly creeped into her conscious mind threatening to unnerve her even more than she already was.

The elevator slowly started to shift and she realised that it wasn't moving vertically but horizontally like a tram system, she then realised they were heading towards the alien ship. Seeing it once was enough to her, over the past hundred years humanity had surveyed hundreds of planets but none had shown any sign of intelligent life, many forms of wildlife but nothing that could travel through space. She was taught since she was a small child that humanity was alone in the universe that there was nothing that could compare to humanity. Her teachers had to enforce it into her brain because her brother used to tease that aliens were going to take her away in the night and eat her. The fear blossomed one night when she slept, Charles had creeped into her room wearing a monster costume. He had dragged her off her bed into the cupboard holding her mouth shut so her desperate screams of horror wouldn't wake the servants, she passed out from shock after an indefinite length of time. She had never been off world and vowed to herself she never would, she knew the truth in her mind but her powerful fear always conquered her sense of logic.

As the tram's momentum shuddered to a halt the doors slid apart like parting curtains unveiling the madness within and without a word the trio entered. While the energy above the surface was one of clinical control below it was a maelstrom of excitement, apprehension and curiosity. The massive hangar was populated by busy scientists, engineers and other consultants, their rushed pace of energy was contested by the statue still forms of security personnel. Their heavily built bodies covered in thick, plated armour with fully loaded rifles were a stark reminder that this place was filled with danger as well as discovery.

Spanning a staggering half mile squared, the hangar bustled with foot traffic as personnel moved between the four corner-mounted research modules as well as the many work stations placed between them. The eye-catching draw of the room though was the alien vessel mounted on a series of variable cradle mounts supporting its unorthodox wishbone shaped hull. It seemed to Anna that the ship's darkened form sucked in the hangar's powerful lights like a dilated pupil; its menacing almost organic design only heightened her fear of what lay within.

"Magnificent" Charles muttered, his eyes never leaving the ship, completely ignorant of all those around him.

"It is isn't it, its shell is only a taster of the treasure trove of secrets that it contains inside" His father replied laying a hand on Charles's shoulder while Anna stood behind them isolated from that special relationship like she had been her entire life.

"The Facility isn't as refined as I would have liked but we didn't have much time after we received your message" Charles commented as he waved his hand around the facility.

"Its suitable son, I imagine that you managed to conduct a suitable cover story about the construction to the public" He enquired

"As far as the rest of the world knows this is a scientific research station that we have funded to help build better corporate ties with China."

Once the conversation ceased a scientist approached them, stopping in front of them he handled a clipboard with nervous fingers.

"Sirs" He greeted the two men then leaned over to make eye contact with Anna. "Ma'am" He darted his eyes straight back towards Benedict. "The subject has been prepared in a secure room with one of the specimens. This way please." He gestured to the closest research module and the continued forward.

"Specimens? What is he talking about Father? Anna asked with an aggravated tone.

"One of the many gifts this ship will bestow on our family and our company, its structure contains thousands of these specimens. The main reason why Gencorp are so desperate to acquire it no matter how violent their methods are."

"So why are they not hovering above this facility right now ready to use their 'violent' methods to take this ship, it wouldn't be the first time they have practically started a war with us"

"Because my daughter" He stopped and turned to her as the scientist and Charles entered the module. "Anthony Grant knows as well as I do that the nature of this discovery cannot be brought to the attention of the outside world. Otherwise they would throw all of us in the deepest, most secure prison for the rest of our lives and destroy this grand opportunity for discovery." He said as he gestured his hand out towards the alien ship.

"I won't be thrown into any prison Father. I was dragged here against my consent."

"Your weight within the company and your position as my daughter cements you to this endeavour, even if I hid this from you, you would find out through your own resources."

"So I'm a prisoner here because I'm your child" Annabelle asked, the answer already in her mind but wishing for the opposite in any case.

"Precisely" He replied without hesitation or removal of eye contact from his child. As he led her inside the module, her first steps into this nightmare were filled with a child's anger and disgust.

Inside the module was equal to the facility above; everything was painted a pale white. Everything from the computers and the cold metal furniture down to the stationary and the water dispensers. Passing through the module it appeared deserted, its sterile appearance completely devoid of life and character apart from the dimmed sound of voices that came from the room the group were heading to. As they entered a group of ten scientists were sitting in darkness. One operating a mounted camera as they all looked through a giant window into a well lit room containing a young man completely devoid of hair, strapped to a harness that stretched him upward like a crucifix. His lower left leg was completely covered in gauze. Twisting and turning, he tried desperately to be released of his imprisonment, his eyes never leaving the object in front of him.

"You fuckers let me out of here! Now!" he screamed. " This wasn't part of the deal you said you would cut my sentence if I told you what happened on Fury, get me away from this thing please" his last word spat from his mouth in a desperate plea as Anna saw the object of his fear.

As she focused on the object she held a hand to her mouth in shock but with a hint of curiosity hidden even to herself. It sat nearly three feet in height, its exterior wrinkled like old leather covered in a thick, oily substance that glistened from the blinding lights. Its dark form wriggled with an unseen energy as an opening appeared at the head as four corners peeled apart like a perverse flower blossoming.

Seeing the egg open the imprisoned man began to fight against his restraints frantically, sweat visibly bearing down his bald head. After a moment he looked to the scientists inside and locked eye contact with everyone watching as he ceased his struggles.

"Enjoy the show you fucking wankers. Your all gonna fucking die here. I'll see you soon." he said calmly staring through the observation glass at her and the scientists. He stopped speaking as something began moving out of the opening, something alive.

In a split second frozen in time for all who witnessed it something large sprang out of the egg at blistering speed like a coiled snake. A giant skin-coloured arachnid launched onto the man's face, enwrapping his head with its eight skeletal digits. Fastening a tail shaped like a spine around his neck it smothered his face, his voice and his life. As it settled into position it shuddered violently as it forced his clenched mouth open, sliding its tube-shaped tongue down his throat to begin its forceful, perverse form of reproduction

Gasping in fright of the event Anna's cry was unheard as the research staff behind her gasped not in horror as she had but in something more terrifying and disturbing they were shocked in wonder. Through the mumbling chatter from the other scientists in light of the event she turned to her brother and father, her face strained in disgusted anger. "What the hell is that thing? What's it doing to him?" She said hysterically while they both stared silently before one of the scientists approached Benedict as he turned away from her Anna she felt scorned and abandoned.

"How long before the next phase of growth Doctor" he asked, talking about the creature as if it was a relative in a hospital wing, his tone gentle but controlled.

"An exact time is unknown sir but from the report from the synthetic on the Nostromo would indicate the parasite gestates for several hours then dies allowing the host to regain consciousness." The scientist stated. "It's only from one report though, there are so many variables to consider, age, weight, even gender we will have to collaborate results from multiple hosts." He added, his tone rising in excitement at the prospect of discovery.

"I understand" Ben said Laying his hand on the man's shoulder like a proud father. "Keep the host under constant surveillance and inform me of all changes. I will be in my quarters resting" he said his voice trailing off weakly as he stumbled against a desk knocking over folders and a tablet computer clattering onto the floor. The noise alerted the rest of the scientists to the commotion as Charles and Anna helped their father upright while Anna cupped his face in her hands. Even through all this she argued in her head that he was still her father and his age was finally catching up to him after all these years of constant work to better their family. For a moment they shared eye contact and she saw a tired, aged man past his prime who was holding on by sheer, iron willpower alone.

The second that eye contact was made it was severed as Ben gripped her hands lowering them while looking towards Charles and the rest of the people in the room. Ignoring his concerned daughter he addressed them in defence of the title he held as the most powerful and influential man alive, not an exhausted old man.

"I'm fine, just tired and excited from these events. You all may not know it but me and a crew of trusted soldiers, engineers and scientists spent the past year trying to bring you this magnificent discovery." He sighed heavily as he recalled the events that brought him back to Earth. "We tried to set up a facility much larger than the one you stand in off world but we were beset by soldiers from GenCorp, the facility was abandoned and we had no choice but to flee to Earth."

As the science staff collected their things from the seats and began to chatter again he raised his voice louder, its volume resonating through room. "Make no mistake! This ship being on Earth is a last resort, my men paid dearly to bring it here; most of the ones that survived are wounded and bleeding as you sit here at a desk drinking coffee. All quarantine procedures are to be followed to the letter and if I find anyone neglecting them or even worse leaking information outside." He stopped to allow them a moment to think of his answer. "You will have inherently voided your contract to this company and to me and I will have no choice but to have you detained and transferred to an off-world prison. Do I make myself clear?"

They all nodded silently in agreement as Ben turned to his children once more. "I would like to be taken to my quarters"

"Of course father" Charles replied. "They are in the central tower on one the higher floors, yours are placed next to my own and Annabelle's for security purposes."

"So much for privacy" Anna growled.

"It's for our own safety my dear sister believe me I enjoy my privacy as much as you do" He replied genuinely.

"So what you can throw your one night stands out without a drama in front of father, just remember to let them sober up from the Mach you give them"

"I swear to god you two don't shut up I'll send you two away to prison instead" Ben ranted, the strain taking he breath out of him as he stopped for a moment to catch it once more. "Show me to my quarters then send for my Ethan, he is being repaired by one of the droid techs upstairs. I need to rest and reflect on all that has happened. In the meantime you are both in charge, Charles you are in charge of the scientists and Anna you are to liaise with Cormack with security and keeping the spotlight off us until the dust settles on our unauthorised entry on planet."

"Very well father we will" Anna replied calmly. Charles looked at her with raised eyebrows at her calm reply at taking control of this project which she so desperately opposes. She would play the good girl and follow daddy's orders but she would build her relationship with the security staff. Using her position as a woman and as the unofficial partner of their commander she would build their trust of her. In the event that things turned sour she would partly be in control of the soldiers because against her brother and the scientists the men with guns controlled everything… they always have.


	3. Chapter 2: Primal Selection

"Back in '72 the UFS started to push back into the coalition systems and I mean push, they moved their entire fleet into range of the interior until the battle on 202. Guess they were kinda embarrassed they lost thousands of men to five hundred marines but who wouldn't. We were all shitting a planet-sized brick during that time expecting a galaxy sized war the likes of which we had never seen. What we didn't know was that after that battle the higher ups in the Corps promoted the 18th into a Special Forces battalion. Gave them a blank check for everything, gear, weapons, training and even remade their ship the Terragora since they near destroyed it in the battle. Afterwards they sent them out with five hundred extra marines as an attachment on two ships to cause havoc with the Uni's that were scouting for the fleet. Well those Uni's never expected to see the Terragora again so when they see that ship brought back from the dead the entire fleet scampered back to the outer rim in a panic. Tell you something boys, everyone still wonders what five hundred men did to scare the largest military force of our time."

 _An Intelligence officer releasing information he shouldn't to a group of civilians in a bar._

December 24th 0030 hours Mars

All sense of time had been lost to Watts as he marched in the line of exhausted recruits to their next exercise. His young, muscled limbs now felt like lead weights, his powerful lungs now two empty husks inhaling fire as he struggled on through the raging sandstorm that had assaulted them for the past hour. His senses were constantly assaulted as he progressed through the storm. The recruits had been given scarves and goggles to cover their faces so they could continue in this physical hell. When the storm was seen on the horizon the recruits, already exhausted from the relentless exercises believed the selection would be put on hold till it past. Staff Sergeant Jacobs eliminated any of those thoughts as he ordered them to push through the storm, as the rest of the Reapers saw their distress they smiled a devilish grin.

Visibility was next to none as Watts tried to look through his goggles at his surroundings. The night's darkness along with the constant onslaught of flying dust nearly blinded him; the only sight to see was the flashing IFF strobes strapped to each of the recruits running in line. These lighthouses among the chaos was the only thing that kept them from disappearing into oblivion The Reapers wore no such strobes and moved through the storm like ghosts; their only reminder of their presence around the line was when one tapped each of them on the shoulder every so often to keep them in formation. It was the only gentle act the recruits had received from the Reapers since they arrived.

His mind still felt somewhat detached from his body from the interrogation earlier. Hell his entire being felt like it had been slowly walked through a meat grinder. He only hoped that the eight other recruits left felt the same or worse. Looking back over the previous week he thought about the recruits that had quit, some were smarter, some were stronger physically. One by one though they said their code numbers and were near enough kicked out the door with one of the masked Reapers screaming into their ear to drive their failure home.

He was brought back to the present by the throbbing screech of a Dropship flying low over them; once again the only visual sight was of the ship's flood lights, dimmed by the raging sandstorm. It passed overhead flying onwards ignoring the suffering troops below. Watt's desperate hopes of a pickup dwindled as the engines silenced further in the distance. More than twice he had slipped into misleading daydreams and memories during the long run, tearing his focus from the objective. With no sensual stimuli such as locations to observe or distinct sounds to hear, the mind's only escape from the monotony and pain of this test was to stealthily replace the conscious mind with the unconscious. It was a deadly failing of focus, if it wasn't for the reapers corralling them, most of the group would have wandered alone into the storm to die in this wasteland.

His boots continued to crush the crisp, rocky surface of the red planet sluggishly for the next fifteen minutes until he was awoken from another daze as he ran into Drake's back with a heavy thud nearly felling them both. As conversation was impossible Drake turned and formed an 'okay' hand signal towards Watts. Unable to make any eye contact he just nodded briefly as Drake pointed ahead of them to the silhouette of one of the recruits lying motionless on the ground. The line of recruits halted as two reapers crouched beside the fallen marine; Watts feared the worse as they probed the recruit's neck for a pulse. In answer to his fear they nodded to each other and rose to continue the run, leading the group on, leaving the incapacitated marine to his fate.

His exhausted brain kicked back into action and he ran to the marine, kneeling down to check his pulse, it was erratic but faint. Knowing in his mind he couldn't march away from him he knew his only choice was to carry him. He tried desperately to lift his comrade but with the extra weight his body refused even the concept of giving his legs the strength to try. He panicked as he realised he may have just condemned himself to the same fate as the recruit, abandoned by the Reapers like their lives were nothing. The worst aspect was that he didn't even know the name of the young man he stopped to try and save. Snapping his head around he saw the strobe-lit queue of dwindling hopefuls leave them behind, their lights like his hope for survival dwindled into the abyss of the storm.

Exhaustion and despair gripped his chest like a vice for the next handful of moments, threatening to crush him with its grim reality of his impending doom. In an effort to concentrate his focus and energy away from the selfish prospect of his own death, he began to inspect the fallen marine. He was only given the crudest of medical training when he went through basic, knowledge in how to perform first aid to entry wounds and broken bones. The risk in this exercise was to the legs so he began his amateur diagnosis. Feeling over both legs he analysed the thighs and shins, both seemed inline but the marine woke into life, coughing sand into the inside of his face cover as Watts probed his left knee. Wiping engrained dust from the conscious marine's goggles, he tried to make eye contact to reassure him. It failed miserably; he looked on the edge of a stress-fuelled panic, his eyes widened as open as they could be. Watts leaned down and exposed his ear under a frayed beanie hat.

"Don't move!" Watts screamed at the top of his voice, he regretted it as his throat ripped apart like sandpaper was being shoved inside it. Propping himself back up the marine nodded franticly, his sudden alertness eradicated Watts' sense of hopelessness and despair. This wounded marine needed him and he wasn't going to die on this dust pit like a statistic as a determined rage flooded his muscles with a burst of fresh energy. Examining the knee further the patella bone felt loose as he probed further, ignoring the gritted screams of his patient. He concluded that the tendon below the kneecap had snapped completely, he wouldn't be able to put any weight on the leg at all, as Watts contemplated how to move him he felt a presence beside him. Drake crouched down beside him and screamed into his ear, no doubt tearing up his own throat too in the process.

"Couldn't leave you like this! The troop is still moving that way!" He shouted as he pointed in the direction, his hand struggling to stay still as it thought the vicious wind.

Relief flooded through him as he realised he was no longer alone in his struggle. Watts couldn't even remember which direction the Reapers had led the group into, without Drake he probably would have brought him and his new patient into oblivion. He leaned into the side of Drake's head. "He's fucked his knee! He's awake but we'll have to carry him!"

Drake thumped his fist on his thigh in frustration, after a moment he threw the man's body onto its side and pulled his battle dress uniform shirt off, exposing his muscled torso. Using the BDU he pulled the recruit's injured lower leg and straightened it while he bound the knee into immobility. Ignoring his horrifying screams he began to tie the leg together to avoid further damage and to limit the excruciating pain. After this Drake positioned himself beside the recruit and brought his torso up into a seated position. Wrapping the recruit's arm around the back of his head and shouted into the injured man's ear. "You're gonna have to hop to the rendezvous"

The recruit nodded again, he uttered no coherent words as he continued to groan beneath gritted teeth. Drake raised himself to a standing position bringing the recruit up with him showing an incredible amount of reserved strength. Watts' slung the other arm over him and the three comrades began a slow advance to catch up to the Reapers.

They walked through the wasteland for what felt like eternity, stumbling repeatedly and more frequently. Watts knew within his own mind that his body would soon shut down completely, he hoped that Drake wouldn't risk himself even more by trying to save him too, he already risked enough. What he didn't know was that similar thoughts ran through Drake's head, this experience had created a trusting bond between them, though they didn't realise it.

They could feel the harsh unrelenting bite of the invasive dust and winds begin to lessen, minute by minute the storm faded until the planet's desert tundra was revealed to them. Under a peaceful starlit sky with the unearthly dust storm behind them they could only see three thick fires a few hundred metres ahead of them, they could faintly see the silhouettes of their comrades circling each fire.

Ripping the scarf and goggles from his face Drake inhaled a deep breath loudly while Watt removed his own and the recruit's.

"Jesus Christ!" Drake exhaled. "I didn't think I'd ever breathe fresh air again".

"I heard that, feels a whole lot fresher than Earth's air" Watt added

"You'd think the terraforming would have stopped the dust storms" He motioned towards the fires with his free hand. "Assholes just left us there; I want a goddamn answer as to why." He growled.

"First let's get this guy some decent medical attention, poor guy's been through the worst of it out of all of us tonight. How you feeling?" Watts added as he adjusted his hold on the wounded marine.

The marine coughed roughly as he tried to speak, constantly trying to spit the dust out of his mouth. Being without water for this whole run though left his mouth as dry as the ground around them.

"Water, need water" He breathed his voice ragged and coarse.

"Don't worry we'll get you some. Need to get that leg seen to more importantly. Watts let's keep moving." Drake pleaded as he began to walk, forcing Watts to continue with the recruit between them. "I wanna get a proper break, my ass feels like it ain't touched the ground in a year."

"Same, I gotta feeling though a breaks the last thing we are gonna get" Watts finally added as they traversed the last distance of this gruelling exercise.

0

As Jacobs overlooked the recruits huddled in the darkness away from the portable fire placements he counted through their remaining numbers. Of the nine recruits that they began this run with only six remained. Two collapsed on the way here, he had ordered two of his men to wait with one of them until the resupply dropship picked them up on the way here. The other he left with the intention that his comrades would work together to save him. That had mostly but failed two of the healthy recruits had stayed behind to help him, no matter what happened he strapped a beacon to every single one of them just in case. If they died here he thought. At least they would die closer to home than most marines did.

The third recruit that had failed the selection simply stated once they had arrived that he couldn't go on any longer. His willingness to give in disgusted the Gunnery Sergeant, he had denied them their water ration as a punishment for their willingness to surrender. They could drink until they burst when they were flown back to base for all he cared.

While his Reapers sat around the fires cooking the best rations provided he ordered the worst ones tossed to into a pile for the recruits to fight over. It didn't matter in the end, cold rations were shit enough no matter what kind they were. Their water rations were served to them freshly boiled with only spoons to drink it from. Captain Phillips had called his methods at times 'barbaric' but they wielded results as he had already eliminated the ones he knew to be the weakest of the group.

As he laid against his rucksack beside the roaring fire unit he silently stared at the fuel fed portable hob sucked into his own thoughts for a while. He was awoken from his chaotic daydreams by a rough kick in the boots from Emmett as he crouched beside him.

"Enough dozing you lazy fucker." Emmett said as he dumped his Night Vision Binoculars on Jacobs's chest. "Looks like your little test paid off".

"You do remember the chain of command don't you?" Jacobs chided.

"Yeah I remember but I've saved your ass enough times that I should be pretty much god to you." Emmett added.

Jacobs raised himself up with a heavy groan and peered into the darkness with the binoculars and grinned. "Well those two have definitely jumped up in the rankings in my eyes. Complete disregard for their own safety to save someone they barely know." He lowered the binoculars and motioned towards the loud recruits scrambling over the pile of rations like dogs fighting over scraps. "Those pathetic excuses for marines just left him there with a shattered knee and followed us without a second glance." As Jacobs hawked and spat into the fire, he released a pained feral growl as he stretched his back, throwing the binoculars back on Emmett's chest he stomped over to his Reapers.

"Boys! Change of plan, round up." As he walked towards his men, all raised themselves to attention in an instant, some still smoking and a few bickering over an unfinished card game. They may have seemed unruly to an outsider but these men were some of the best warriors Jacobs had ever seen, honed in intense training and some of the bloodiest battles in modern history. Of the five hundred men in the battalion Jacobs would die for any of them but these fifteen men were his brothers. All original survivors of the battle on LV-202 that birthed the dreaded battalion.

"What's the deal boss?" Smith asked. His best smartgunner and second fireteam leader.

"Yeah c'mon Grim those newbies been left resting for too long" Boomer, explosives expert of fireteam Alpha said while rubbing his palms together.

The air around the Reapers was tense as their collective boredom began to come to a head and they direly needed to vent some of that anger. They had been left brewing in the Pit, the 18th's personal battalion base for two weeks. Returning from a hostage rescue mission on a transport vessel involving pirate smugglers. The operation was a success but Jacobs' squad the 1st, returned missing two of their squad mates. Now their lost comrades' space within the squad was to be filled by two of these pathetic, arrogant recruits.

"They got through the easy part now the gloves are off." Jacobs pointed out. "They left one of their own in the middle of that storm so they're as good as dogshit in my eyes." He pointed to the now empty littered space in the centre of the three fire units where the Reapers were biding their time. "Get your shit cleaned up and start to work on the kids, rough them up but keep 'em in fighting condition got it?" Jacobs commanded.

"Yes Boss!" They replied in unison with a sharp loud feedback that reverberated along the makeshift camp, shocking the resting recruits into an unsteady alert.

The Reapers left Jacobs with Emmett and Smith; his two fireteam leaders. They began a rapid but controlled clean-up of their camp. This was a laborious exercise that had now became a rehearsed ritual among the veteran marines. Very little communication was uttered between them as they cleared up the traces of human existence. After that they began to shout and rage at the recruits, kicking their meals out there hands and in general being as intimidating as they could without causing debilitating damage.

The three Sergeants watched their men silently for a few moments lost in their own thoughts until footsteps from the dropships direction arose their attention.

"Sergeants" Bishop announced as he stood beside them, his hands clasped behind his back as he laid his analysing eyes over the Reapers and the recruits. "Reports from Camp Elder indicate another storm will pass over this area in two hours. I recommend that we extract within the hour."

"Noted Bishop." Jacobs replied. "We won't need an hour."

"What you got in mind for these lads Grim?" Smith enquired.

"I want you two, once the men have finished messing the children about, to make a sand circle in between the fire units. We are going to have a little tournament, let's see how badly they want this post."

The two fireteam leaders sniggered a wild grin, the flash of white teeth contrasting against their dirt smeared faces. Bishop however did not smile, his cold blue eyes only opened wider at this turn of events.

"Sergeant Jacobs I strongly recommend you avoid this course of action, the laws governing selection for special forces groups forbid recruits fighting with selection staff to advance in the course" Bishop stated.

"He's right Ryan besides our lads would probably kill 'em by accident even if they were holding back." Smith added.

"The laws don't forbid the recruits fighting each other though do they?" Jacob corrected them with a sneer of his own that released years from his grizzled, scarred face. "Now enough debating, Smith, Emmett get a move on." As they left Jacobs turned his focus onto the android. "Bishop don't ever second guess my methods involving these recruits again, now attend to the two coming in with the wounded marine. Take Cutter with you, Straven could use the extra company at the ship. Get the two coming in ready for combat within twenty minutes, they can be the last to fight."

"Yes Sergeant" The android replied coldly

0

Humankind's habit of doing violence to their own kind still confused Bishop, even after a three year attachment to the 18th battalion he still couldn't reason as to why such a travesty had to always occur daily throughout history. His internal memory core was filled with a history's worth of data but one thing was always apparent. War.

As an analytical android, the Bishop model was designed to be a source of intellectual support to a military commander and his or her forces. Only to provide information and tactical information, never to engage. A century ago when cybernetics blossomed among humanity they had envisioned a combat model android to replace soldiers in their pitiful wars. The controversy of the subject led to the enforcement of the ban of combat androids in their entirety under the Geneva Convention. At least some humans had that much sense, Bishop thought.

In a way though androids like Bishop still had the power over human lives indirectly. His role as a tactical consultant meant that he would offer his best suggestion over how his assigned marine force inflicted maximum casualties with as little danger to their own marines. His task also was to observe and intake new information and form an outcome. His outcome of the ban was that it had in some way failed; a military force with a synthetic adviser was a deadlier, more lethal one.

His underlying processors brought forth these thoughts as he saw the Reapers preparing the recruits to fight each other to remain in the selection. While he was abhorred by the thought of these exhausted young men beating each other he realised it was it was a good decision. If these men couldn't fight in physical combat how could they cope in some of the near suicidal engagements this battalion has survived.

His attention was turned to the two latecomers who both carried one of their wounded on towards him and the Dropship. Both looked weary beyond words but there was something else that Bishop couldn't place, his only explanation was that they were agitated by being left behind to show so little levels of fear or anxiousness.

He walked over to them to inspect the injured marine, stopping the other two without saying a word.

"Looks like he popped his knee sir." Said the marine on the right, he appeared more approachable than his hulking companion.

"You don't need to call the droid sir Watts, they will never outrank a human."

Bishop's internal archive came alive in his system with the recruit named Watts' personnel file. Such a tragic, all too common childhood to grow up in, Bishop thought. Scanning through his history he stumbled across a name, one all too familiar. He decided to log it for future investigation, now was not the time.

"Bring him over to the ship, he requires treatment." Bishop stated as he turned for the ship.

"Wow all that technology and you came to that conclusion, genius." Drake growled as they heaved their comrade forward.

As they approached the ship they saw a fellow marines with similar leg injuries being treated by two Reapers positioned at the foot of the ship's cargo ramp. The two warrior's mere presence was uncomfortable, their gaze towards the approaching marines was murderous. As Drake and Watts laid their fellow marine, they collapsed beside him, one of the Reapers moved to examine the marine's leg.

"Well if it isn't the heroes of the pussy troop, Straven you think they might give me their autographs." The Reaper asked of his comrade while he cut open the sleeve of the marine's leggings, exposing a horribly swollen and discoloured knee.

"Fuck knows Cutter" Straven paused to look at the injured knee and whistled loudly. He kneeled beside Cutter with a grimaced face. "Shit kid that's bad, you still with us? What's your name?" He said as he fed capfuls of bottled water into the marine's crusted lips.

"Danny" He coughed as his throat reacted to the new sensation of water. "Danny Hall."

"Well kid I hate to say it but it looks like you're gonna be out the game for a while." Straven noted as he probed further around the joint. After a moment he glanced up to Drake and Watts who were still watching him work. "Dunno what the fuck you babies are staring at but Grim wants you ready to fight soon by the looks of things."

Both the recruits' shock flared visibly on their dirt-smeared faces before looking at Bishop as if he were some sort of teacher. They merely wandered behind Bishop over to the bad side of the playground as the teacher lead them away from the bigger, more troublesome children.

"Corporal Straven is right. Staff Sergeant Jacobs has ordered all of the recruits to engage in a tournament to secure further position in the selection. You two are to be paired last as a reward for aiding recruit Hall."

Fighting was not a stranger to the two young men, in fact they both revelled in the act of physical violence more than a normal human should. They were exhausted beyond measure though, the day's events had led to a level of fatigue that washed over their willpower like a tidal wave. As such they spent the next half hour locked into a solitary daze, watching the others fight as the Reapers pushed them on.

The conflicts were bloody; it was clearly obvious these men wanted to survive in the selection from the brutality of the altercations. Not one of the recruits left the sand circle without donating their own amount of blood sweat and tears to moisten the dead, dry ground beneath them. The Reapers though didn't seem satisfied as they shouted and railed for more, their three commanders stood behind them, arms crossed, like dark sentinels waiting to unleash their hounds of hell.

The eyes of the warriors turned towards Watts and Drake, their cries for blood rocked both of the weary men from their daze, to both it had only felt like moments had passed since they first lay down.

"It's your turn now puppies, give us a good show" Cutter ordered as he pulled both of them up with frightening ease. Once standing he dragged them both to the circle by hand, once again they felt like children.

Once they stood opposite each other, adrenaline coursed through their systems, turbocharging their already damaged bodies, readying them for violence. They circled for what seemed like an age, hesitant to strike the other that they called friend. This hesitation angered their spectators, they screamed for contact, blood and pain. Drake answered first as he advanced like a hurricane on his smaller opponent.

"Bruiser, Devon you're the CQC guys who you favouring" Shouted Camp among the throng as Drake thundered strikes into Watts' blocking arms.

"The big guy!" The answered together.

The three sergeants stood silent till Drake disengaged before winding himself. "Praise to the little kid for surviving that. Damn that Drake is fast for his size." Smith commented just before the crowd went into uproar as Watts thundered a lightning fast jab, connecting perfectly with Drake's cheek.

The next few engagements were much the same, aggression countered with swift counters from Watts. Just as he closed in once again Drake swung a kick aimed at Watts' midsection, he countered by grabbing the leg just in time and hammering his shoulder into him. They both fell to the ground, thrashing desperately to gain the better position before Watts rained an elbow strike down into Drake's head.

"Fuck it I'm betting on the little one now, looks like we got a fight eh boys!" Devon shouted as Drake threw Watt off him tumbling him onto the ground before lunging on top of his back to throw heavy punches down on a foetal Watts. After a few strikes Watts had enough and twirled in a blur of motion to scramble back on his feet away from the giant. Afterwards he closed in to rain down his own punishment on the larger man, who to everyone's surprise began to retreat.

As he pushed his advance Watts grabbed the back of Drake's head and pulled it down to land a brutal knee strike that nearly knocked the lights out of him. While off balance though Drake fought through the pain and wrapped Watts within his arms, lifting him high before slamming his entire body onto the ground. Watts was winded beyond measure; his only defence was to weakly hold his arms up trying to block the hammer blows raining from above.

The men around them were silent as the grave; never did they expect such abandon from two fighters so exhausted as they were. The contest was too even to decide a probable victor which made it all the more entertaining to these harbingers of violence. The only movement came from Jacobs as he pressed his earpiece close listening to an unknown voice.

In a stroke of luck Watts grabbed an arm before it smashed against his skull, with all his dwindling strength he pulled the bigger man downwards and begun to wrap his legs around Drake's neck. Feeling good purchase he began to tighten the choke hold, squeezing the life force from him like a snake. As Drakes face begun to turn purple he grew desperate and heaved with all his might.

In an epic finale Drake lifted Watts' entire body still entwined around him up to full height and brought him crashing back down. The force of the impact was felt by everyone through the ground as the two combatants disentangled and lay apart heaving in deep breaths as they felt unspeakable agony.

"Cutter, Straven!" Emmett shouted to the two medics who were back at the Dropship still tending to Hall and the rest of the wounded. Urgently they rushed over to the Sergeant. "Get those men patched up NOW!" He ordered.

"Yes sir" They replied.

"I really didn't expect a show like that, fuck I'd hate to be the little lad right now" Smith commented as they both watched Jacobs speaking to someone through his comms kit out of earshot of the group. "Who do you think he is gonna pick?"

"Not a clue as much as I hate that Drake kid he did a hell of a lot of damage. Just need to see what the boss says anyway." Emmett couldn't help but keep his sniper's eyes locked on his commander watching his all too familiar expressions. "Think we might have an op happening."

"Bout time" Smith growled

Jacobs began to stomp over to them with a face like thunder, his temper was always predictable and they both knew that when it erupted though people usually got hurt badly.

Still though they couldn't help but jab the tiger in its cage.

"Oh god they didn't cancel your Vogue subscription did they?" Emmett chided as Smith laughed loudly

"Why? You were the one that read the articles anyway. Get everyone packed up now. We are heading back to the Pit." Jacobs slung his kukri holster over his back. The eighteen inch Nepalese blade never left Jacobs' side for long, procured from a dead Uni soldier on LV 202. It was his scythe and he was as accurate with it as a surgeon with a scalpel.

"Why what's up boss?" Smith asked

"Someone just arrived on a shuttle that I need to speak to." Jacobs spat out.

"Oh you can't be serious." Emmett added, knowing full well the identity of the person mentioned.

"Yep and she brought Rain and the asshole with her."

"Well there are two good things then, Rain will get to see you and all her favourite Uncles and we can fuck with Mr Corporate in the same day." Smith said as he nodded to the selection recruits. "What about them then? You gotta pick who's going through.

"It's already been decided. Drake and Watts are our new team members."

"The others are gonna bitch about it. They tied." Emmett warned.

"Fuck them. The decision is final; I already cleared it with Briggs. There's a Cheyenne waiting for the others to take them back to Earth."

"C'mon then big man." Emmett said as he patted Smith on the shoulder. "Let's go and break these guys' hearts."

"If any of these lads cry I swear I'll hit them" Smith swore as they walked away leaving Jacobs with his own thoughts.

If there was a limit to how much pain one human could endure, Drake and Watts had reached it and more. They were brought up to a sitting position as the two medics worked on them. No sarcastic comments or insults were voiced as they monitored and cared for them, in an unnerving way they were being as tender as real doctors.

"You are one tough son of a bitch Watts." Drake grumbled, spitting out a large stream of blood on the ground beneath him. He didn't think he would ever have feeling in his face again; every nerve ending flared an inferno of fresh agony with every breath.

"Thanks. Your head is harder than a brick wall, nearly broke my fucking fist on the first hit."

"Ah it's used to punishment. My big brother hit harder than you, he was bigger than you though. Could never beat him but fresh out the gate I'm sure you'd give him a run for his money."

As they were being treated a commotion broke out behind them. The other recruits had begun to argue over their own fight results. Some argued that they should have been paired with another or that they demanded rematches. All this ended as Emmett and Smith approached.

"Right you miserable shits! Form up!" Smith shouted, his broad Scottish accent only aided to sharpen his words and purpose.

Hastily they all assembled along with Watts and Drake who were aided in standing by the medics, once standing Straven and Cutter didn't let go, they kept supporting them, still concerned with their injuries.

"Gunnery Sergeant Jacobs has reached a decision." Smith stated

"Private Drake and Watts are being accepted into the 18th the rest of you are being returned to your units as soon as possible." Emmett added. The recruits fell silent as his words sunk in to their brains. After a minute the silence was shattered as the rejected roared their objections, the successful two were silent among the sea of rage around them. Though the hate was beginning to be aimed at them when words weren't enough.

"Why the fuck should they be picked right away!" One of the larger recruits shouted as he moved to the front of the group. "Look at them, poor babies are nearly dead after one fight." As this was said he pushed his hand forcefully into Drake's face, Drake was too exhausted to fight back. "Just as I thought fucking puss…"

Like a tiger pouncing from the undergrowth a black figure hammered into him from the group of Reapers, flooring him instantly. Jacobs was on top of him instantly, the light from the fire units glistening off his blade as he pressed it into the skin of the recruit's throat. As he swallowed deeply the blade cut ever so slightly into the skin leaving a trickle of pulsing blood. He felt no pain though, only fear as he looked upward to a growling face of brutal violence.

"You're lucky I don't drag this across your throat and leave you to bleed out you pathetic waste of meat and bones." Jacobs whispered as he gently nudged the blade, elongating the cut into a tiny slice across the front of his throat. "I'll just say we lost you in the storm, easily enough done, your buddy's won't say a word either cause they know I'll find them and do a lot worse to them."

"Sir… may I speak?" The speaker was Watts as he stood on fragile legs beside them.

"Make it quick." He snapped

"Leave him, I know you wanna hurt him. Hell if I felt even close to a hundred percent I'd cut him myself but just let him go home, it will do a lot more harm in the long run. He will never forget how close he got. How close he was to being killed and left to rot, he's just a failed statistic on a training exercise now. He's never gonna think he's one of the tough guys ever again."

As Jacobs stood up he wiped his kukri on the leggings of the recruit's BDU and turned to Watts. "Nicely said kid, you're under my command now so here's your first order, shut up and get on the damn Dropship, understood? That goes for the rest of you too."

As Watts sat in his flight harness the reality of events hit home. He passed, above all odds he actually passed. It more hellish than he ever could have expected but now he was one of them, well he was close to being one of them. He still felt on edge around any of these veteran killers, he would only consider himself a Reaper when he felt at home among these avatars of Death. He fell asleep not long afterwards and dreamed of coming home in dirty clothes to his father with a lit cigarette in his hands.


	4. Chapter 3: Birth of Blood

"A great amount of greed can only lead to a greater amount of chaos"

 _A wise man who's words were ignored by the foolish many._

December 24th 0130 hours. Shanghai Facility

Robert Morse knew he was going to die today. Strapped in to the raised gurney he was physically unable to enjoy the movement of his limbs for one last time. His surroundings were a lifeless empty white, the room in which he was housed was empty bar the medical monitoring equipment beside him. The low humming silence was rhythmically broken by his pulse echoing from the heart rate monitor. He was visited often by silent lab technicians who never replied to anything he asked, they never even made eye contact but he knew he was being monitored from the adjacent room through a blacked out window.

With no sense of time he could feel the countdown of his life with his weakening state, growing hunger and worsening cough. Ever since the spider had died and he gained consciousness the doctors had denied him any pain relief for his leg. His mind was his only companion in these final hours and it wasn't particularly pleasant company.

When he was first incarcerated a fellow prisoner told him that his mind would be his best friend, his entertainment and his freedom. But ever since the EEV crashed outside his home and Clemens brought that damn woman inside everything had turned upside down. He was imprisoned for murder, he wasn't a rapist and as such he only considered Ripley a irritating nuisance. His brothers weren't themselves, even before they had laid eyes on her she occupied their thoughts.

Then the beast came and killed everyone he had called brother. Even now when he closed his eyes he could see it charging down the hall towards him. Merciless and blood-covered those teeth still bored terror into Morse's heart, his worst nightmares were a comfort compared to the dragon.

The mental picture of the dragon floated away as the door to his room opened and someone different stepped inside. Dressed not in the white overalls of the lab technicians but a sleek black suit, he walked with an arrogant grace towards Morse meeting his eyes with every step. Stopping in near touching distance to him he simply smiled as he eyed Morse up and down.

"So your the one then. Your the one who has seen one in the flesh and lived."

"What the fuck do you want?" Morse tried to move away without success as the suit pressed his hand on Morse's chest.

"The fuck you doing?"

"Not long now." The suit took his hand off and stepped back with his hands held behind his waist. "What were you in prison for?"

"Robbing and killing rich wankers like you."

"How did it feel to kill?"

"Who the hell are you?" Morse became ever more unsettled. Something about this man he couldn't place set his nerves on edge.

"Everything here is my father's property." Charles said. "Including you and your unwanted child. You didn't answer my question."

"Messy. You suits bleed and bitch like stuck pigs." Morse struggled inside his restraints again. "Lemme outta here and I'll rip that silver spoon out your fucking arse and bloody up that pretty face of yours."

Charles stepped in close again and spoke with a wavering calm. "Your lucky that creature is inside you, your life's actually worth something now. Otherwise I'd love to hurt you, I'd love to take my time with you. No one would care, people like you are nothing more than a bag of meat and bones with hopeless dreams. A waste by-product of sex. You should've just followed the herd and worked away your life for the dreams of better men."

Charles fell silent as Morse watched him gaze towards his heart rate monitor with that same devilish smile. "Well Mr Morse time has abandoned you and I'll be leaving you now." He clicked his fingers towards the one-sided window and motioned towards the monitoring equipment before turning to leave. "Oh it's so exciting, your baby is coming."

"Wait!" Morse shouted. His breathing became erratic in his rising state of panic. "Just take it out of me, gimme surgery or something.

"Charles paused before exiting the room and took one last look into Morse's eyes. "Why? I want to see you bleed and bitch like a stuck pig. Don't worry I'll make sure we get it all on film."

As Charles left the room the technicians entered again pushing through a cart loaded with equipment Morse couldn't make any sense of. They tightened the straps around his limbs once more, he would have winced at the pain around his wrists and ankles if it wasn't for something else.

He could feel the heavy weight of the beast in his chest as it slithered around inside of him. The techs worked without speech again as they strapped a harness over his chest and around the back of the gurney. After tightening it they lifted a large glass tube out of the cart and clicked it into the harness so it sat cold but snug over the centre of his bare chest.

"What the fuck is this thing for?" Morse cried out. Still resisting against the impossible strength of his restraints.

"Cradle is in place and ready sir." One of the techs said.

An older more distinguished voice came out of the intercom speaker. "Good. How do you feel Mr Morse?"

"Like shit you silly fucker! Gimme some morphine at least! I'm fucking dead anyway." Morse's head sagged down. The fight in him near snuffed out.

"I'm sorry but we can't risk damaging the specimen in any way."

"She was right. You cunts are the real monsters!" Morse shouted again towards the blackened window before hawking and spitting towards it.

"One of you gag him. Now." The intercom spoke.

A tech grabbed a white cloth from the table beside Morse. Scrunching it up he approached Morse cautiously. "Open your mouth."

Morse acted the good lab rat and opened his mouth wide as the tech's hand drew closer. His hands were restrained but his neck wasn't. Timing it perfectly Morse weaved his head to the side before biting down on the tech's hand on the soft tissue, his teeth biting through the latex glove and clamping down to dig into the soft tissue. Revelling for one last time at his screams of pain and the copper taste of blood, he clamped down hard and swung his head from side to side. After a few seconds of desperate scrambling from both techs they managed to pull away from Morse leaving a stream of blood and a piece of the tech's hand in Morse's mouth.

Fresh warm blood dripping from his chin Morse smiled exposing his teeth and the piece of flesh between them. He spat it out and it landed with a wet slap, staining the blank, white floor in front of them with crimson.

"Exit the room! Now!" The voice ordered through the intercom. The injured tech fled, being supported by his colleague, leaving a small trail of blood as the door closed.

Morse laughed maniacally. "Someone's gonna need that morphine now." He continued to laugh for a few more seconds until he felt something rip inside himself. Groaning in pain his head sagged back down once more as he coughed weakly. He felt a sickness rise inside him and coughed once more, bringing up blood that was his own. It was time. His time was up.

"Fuck."

A beat. That's all that filled its existence within the warm, living confines of its darkened womb. A steady beat that enveloped it's senses, pounding like a slow, heavy drum. Each beat injecting fresh energy into the infant creature's growing body. In the beginning of its conscious existence this cavity was a spacious cradle, the body supporting it was fresh and strong. Filled with nutrients to feed and support its accelerated growth from embryo to infant. But now the cradle was a prison, its walls constricting rhythmically around the infant like a crushing vice. Its supply of filling nutrients now drying up to its last reserves like a living well, it knew the inevitable had come. For it to survive it was time to leave this prison of flesh, blood and bone.

As it twisted and turned inside the pulsing cradle it could feel deep moans of pain vibrating through the cage. The steady beat began a quickening of pace, growing faster and faster as the walls of the cradle began to expand and contract squeezing the infant continuously. The pounding began overwhelming it, drowning out its natural thoughts of its newfound instincts, to kill...to breed.

It ripped itself from its umbilical without purpose, feeling its waning supply of nutrients dissipate and its pulsating prison quicken in pace. It repeatedly attempted to uncurl its serpentine form repeatedly to no avail. It rested still for a moment resting its head against the ribbed wall of the cradle, floating in the body's waves of inhalation. In an instant it began to tense the soft, untested muscles all through its body from tail to neck. Releasing the pent up energy in a single punching motion it drove its hardened skull into the centre pillar connecting the ribbed bars of the infant's prison breaking the pillar into pieces. Twice more it hammered the bone and the wall's constricting motion receded to almost nothing. Now in a frenzy of blood drenched fury it tore through the softer parts with its needle sharp metallic teeth, oblivious to every noise and movement around it. Sensing it's impending freedom it punched its head once more into the weakening wall, tearing through its former life as a prisoner into its new life, filled with the sweet promise of death.

0

"Would all research staff assigned to Station two please report there immediately." The cold, emotionless voice of the facility's control AI repeated the phrase on a loop for the last minute as Annabelle ran through the main floor to the designated research building. She knew what it concerned, the parasite implanted in the prisoner from Fury 161. She didn't know what was happening exactly but she knew she'd find out soon. As she jogged past other staff, one scientist blew past her in a blur, crashing into fellow staff members with reckless abandon. Anna decided with all this intense work and running she would have to switch to flat soled footwear if she was to stay in this horrible place any longer.

In truth she hadn't really thought about the experiments they were performing with the prisoner in Station two or for any of the other stations as a matter of fact. Running the security staff with Cormack had proved to be a job that pulled all of her attention, tearing her mind away from the dangers that lurked in the derelict ship. The scientists were still cataloguing how many eggs resided in the bowels of the ship but she overheard them saying it would number in the thousands. The thought that this excited them only heightened her unease about everything that was occurring here.

As she ran into the station the separate labs were empty of personnel as they all flooded into the now darkened observation room. Pushing past the bundling crowd of standing science staff at the door she saw her father and brother standing by the window panel with the head scientists talking silently. The prisoner Morse was still strapped to the raised gurney crucifix held in place by the restraints just as she had seen before when he was attacked by the parasite. Now though the parasite was nowhere to be seen and a two foot glass vial was strapped across Morse's chest by a harness fitted around his bare torso.

The room was filled by his screams of pain as he fought against his restraints with renewed vigour, his entire body convulsing violently as everyone watched in complete silence. His screams were halted briefly as a sickening snapping sound came from his chest. Afterwards he began to struggle to breathe for a few seconds until he let out one more cry of pain that dwarfed any he uttered before. His chest burst open in an outburst of crimson. The glass walls of the tube strapped to him were completely coated in Morse's blood, his body slumped against his restraints as he died from the macabre birth.

A single scream filled the other room behind the thick glass, it took a few seconds before Anna realised it was her own. Her shame and embarrassment was wiped out by a wailing, pitching cry coming from inside the tube strapped to Morse's chest. The layer of blood coating the tube was wiped by a writhing serpentine creature, its full body still obscured by blood but Anna could distinguish a mouth filled with sharp, needle like teeth as it cried out.

"Really sister that screaming of yours is quite irritating" Charles commented as he peered his head forward trying to glimpse at the creature inside the glass tube, refusing completely to engage in further conversation.

Anna forced herself into a silent shock as she gazed at the scene before her eyes. Morse's limp corpse hung as still as rock, his chest visibly misshapen by the trauma it had suffered. The gaping hole was large enough to fit her fist in, still streaming a seemingly endless tide of blood, the contrasting white of bone was clearly visible in the wound. It took all of Anna's strength to keep her steely composure and not vomit at this grotesque sight

The worst was yet to come as the blood coating the walls of the glass tube continued to be wiped away by the creature, slithering and writhing around its temporary residence with an enraged haste. As it continued to rub away the worst of the blood with its body everyone including Anna leaned forward for a better look. The features of its form became ever clearer, its skin and tail was similar to the arachnid parasite that preceded it. Rising further up the body the similarities ended as the eyeless creature pressed its tiny torso up with stick thin arms and peered into the direction of the observation room. Lifting its lips to reveal needle-like steel coloured teeth which opened with a resonating screech as it drew forth a second smaller mouth attached to its tongue filled with similar fangs.

The fearsome display by such an infantile creature drew a chorus of awe from everyone in the room bar one, for she had a gut wrenching feeling of dread within her.

"Incredible" Benedict muttered among the thirty other silent presences within the room.

"I agree it's method of gestation is a study entirely of itself but seeing it live and breathe is quite another, it has no fear of us at all." Dr Monroe, The research head of station two added.

"Maybe because it only views us as prey and not the predator." Anna added as she stepped up to the window between Monroe and her father

"I agree Miss Weyland, but for some of us within this facility including myself see this alien creature and the ship that housed it as an answer to years of prayer and debate. It's just as the explorer prophesized"

"I didn't take you for the religious type Doctor let alone one of those star seeker fanatics."

At the mention of that phrase Dr Monroe reached inside his shirt and drew forth a silver star pendant with six sides, its centre hollow. He rubbed it tenderly holding it close to his breast bone.

"Silver." She commented. "Nice touch, how does the silver feel when you're looking at that thing at what it just did" She made no effort to hide the disgust in her voice.

"It will never feel different in my hand no matter what I look at but now we have finally discovered intelligent life among the stars. No matter our findings from this treasure, this is without a doubt the greatest discovery in human history. We're one step closer to some of the greatest questions of our universe and I pray. Possibly if my belief is true, our creation." Monroe preached, his voice was the only clue to his happiness behind an analytical face of stone.

The doctor was a devout member of the church of Metatology. A religion conceived by one of the first humans to travel to the outer rim over a hundred years ago when mankind began its virulent spread through the barren environment of space. A solitary scientist and explorer Matthew Rorikstead believed that humanity's origins lay within the species unmatched intelligence and creativity. He spoke of the clues that lay in human DNA in the same way that artificial intelligence was born of the binary code. He believed that ancient extra-terrestrial beings created humanity using their own type of binary coding of molecules to create DNA which then turned to life. Further so he believed that humankind's true creators lay beyond the far reaches of explored space. That these ancient beings had created them for a grander purpose than mere existence and that the purpose would be revealed when humanity was ready for it's true meaning for existence.

In a society where space exploration became an everyday occurrence, I great number of people from all walks of life and religions found their faiths and ideologies severely challenged. Since the dawn of time humans had stared at the stars believing their gods to reside in a higher place, their creators resting above them, watching over them, protecting them. As they ventured out into space to look for a new beginning on alien planets and moons the cold reality of space travel struck the populace of Earth like a great hammer. Far from Earth and the home of human religion, the early colonists felt detached, ripped from an umbilical of historical belief. Mankind suffered a titanic crisis of faith in those initial years as millions lost touch with their gods, space travel coupled with the meteoric advance of technologies made them spread across the stars but the feeling of isolation only deepened with each newly found planet.

As the outer rim was reached remote space stations were established for research purposes and further exploration. Aboard one of these stations was Matthew Rorikstead, a former Christian with no family who became an apostate during his posting on the outpost station. His employment required him to embark on solitary expeditions to barren planets to explore for new alien life. A profession that was notorious for developing psychological illnesses, these explorers would spend weeks at a time alone with the stars and their own strained and weakened minds. After a time he would begin to document his beliefs about humanity's origins and begin to preach his beliefs to others on his station and throughout the systems with the communication network. As he gathered a small following he announced to his flock that he found no more purpose to stay clung to the restrictions of human existence. His last words were that he was to embark on a final journey to reach his true gods and left shortly after against orders to await a psycheval.

After months without any sign of his return he was pronounced AWOL, presumed dead his teachings spread through the network like a virus as millions of fellow apostates converted to his belief of gods far into the stars. His first followers, over the years his followers solidified his preaches into a recognised religion which was now thought to be equal to the still strong beliefs of Christianity, Islam and others. Rorikstead, now known to millions as the Explorer was elevated to a divine position as a martyr alongside Christianity's own Jesus Christ. Rorikstead's documented thoughts were placed on paper turning it into religious text for the masses to absorb.

"So you believe that this thing is intelligent life Doctor?" Anna motioned towards the blood drenched creature which was being approached by two lab techs cautiously.

"Why no, well it remains to be discovered how intelligent this creature is but there is another alien on the ship. He is long dead sadly, a victim apparently to one of these magnificent creature's births. It would appear he was a lone pilot of the derelict much like the explorer himself, the similarity is intriguing isn't it?"

"What's going to happen to that thing through there then?" Anna replied pointing in the direction of the alien infant.

To answer her question the doctor motioned to two of his colleagues in the 'birthing' room behind him. After a minute they entered the room containing the alien and began to remove the sealed glass tube holding it from the harness still attached to Morse's bleeding corpse.

"The creature will be placed into a separate, sealed area of the facility." Monroe stated, addressing all three members of the Weyland family. "This separate hangar is constantly monitored and controlled from here so we can study the creature's behaviour in safety. According to the Nostromo report though the infant will grow to full size in a matter of hours so time is of the essence." He said. His eyes never left the infant and he silenced the discussions of the scientists behind him as he spotted something.

Anna saw it too. The two lab techs were struggling with the glass tube. Holding it at both sides one of the techs let go swiftly, taking a step back. Leaving his colleague holding the container alone, clearly nervous.

The doctor pressed the intercom microphone that sounded into the room. "What the hell is going on in there?"

Both techs gripped it tightly again but a visible struggle began as the infant began to hammer against the glass. Screeching and wailing it continued until the techs could see a minute crack appear on the glass.

"Its trying to break free Doctor!"

"Seal the tube in the empty metal crate the egg came in now!" Monroe yelled in frustration. He stomped past his team to the CCTV feed into the room adjacent to the birthing room. Watching closely as the two techs placed the glass tube securely inside the metal crate before sealing it. Satisfied that containment was fulfilled he returned to his employer.

"I can only apologise sir. We underestimated the strength of the newborn but it is fully contained now and being transported below." Monroe knew Benedict would understand. Despite his reputation, Monroe knew him as a firm but practical employer.

"Good, thank you Doctor, we will return tomorrow morning doctor to discuss your study. Annabelle, Charles walk with me." Benedict asked before he walked out of the room without so much as a backwards glance to see if his children were following him.

As the three exited the research station onto the main floor the staff were still awake and working as frantically as ever, even at this late hour all aspects of research were being continued. A Power Loader carrying a large sealed container with biohazard warnings painted onto it stomped by them like a living giant towards station two. Its powerful hydraulic systems whining against its weight as its heavy footsteps thundered against the metal flooring.

"I suggest that we retire for the night and let these well paid professionals do their jobs don't you agree." Benedict asked

"Yes father the excitement of today has tired me more than I believe." Charles yawned, his demeanour leaked no emotions about what they had just witnessed and he would no doubt have an undisturbed, peaceful sleep too.

"Not so fast. Father I want a word with you." Anna stared at Charles with a hateful gaze. "In private."

"Very well." He nodded to his son. "Leave us."

As Charles skulked away Anna led her father to one of the archaeological labs for the study of the derelict ship. Before she entered the door she saw her brother laughing with the security guard who insulted him earlier. She made a mental note to keep an eye on that, no one ever hurt her brother without a horrible, life-changing punishment from his twisted mind. As she walked in there were four lab technicians working within the room, all laid their eyes on her like confused deer in the headlights.

"Everyone out!" she shouted. "Now!" her venom-filled voice ripped the staff away from their work as they scattered and exited the room. She pulled up two chairs next to a desk and sat without caring if he would too. "You have a lot of fucking explaining to do."

"You shouldn't swear like that Annabelle it is not seemly for a woman of your stature. So what do I have to explain?" He sat beside her and attempted to hold her hand, which she shrugged off.

"Everything, where the hell have you been? Where did that ship come from with that thing on it? What will all this do to benefit us? And one thing you have to explain, what the hell did Dr Monroe mean when he said the Nostromo report? You can divert all you want but we are not leaving here until you tell me the truth."

Benedict sighed heavily while running a hand over his head wincing when he came near the large bandage around what was left of his ear. "Where to begin. Sixty five years ago when your grandfather ran the company they began to send probes through the further unexplored systems to look for mineable resources. One of the probes came across a beacon. They had it analysed and it turned out to be an audio signal but some fool thought it was just an anomaly of it so it was shelved. Then eight years later a logistical droid stumbled across the file and somehow manages to decipher it as a warning. My father being the ruthless and shrewd man he was decided not to waste money on an exploratory mission."

"Don't worry, you and Charles are definitely like him" Anna chided, wishing he would get to the point.

"Instead he assigned a droid to a towing ship and orders it to stop the ship around the planet where the beacon originated. Under company orders the crew reluctantly investigated the beacon and found our prize." He motioned his arm towards the darkly majestic derelict visible through the lab window.

"Good god" Anna could only imagine how those people felt when they discovered the ship on an uncharted world. "What happened then?"

"They investigated the ship and left the planet with an extra passenger."

"One of those spider parasites?" She asked already knowing the answer.

"Yes. Only one woman survived, she set the ship for self-destruct and escaped in an EEV. Her shuttle wasn't discovered until last year, miraculously though she survived even though she was in cryosleep for nearly sixty years.."

Anna's went quiet for a moment while her mind recalled something. "Wait a minute, don't you mean that Ripley woman? The one you ordered Van Leuan to pretty much scapegoat!"

"Yes the very same, that lost shipment cost us a lot of money Annabelle and we needed to discredit her as much as possible in the event she broadcasted her story. I know that you think I'm a monster. That I don't care how many lives I ruin just for profit but you misunderstand."

"Oh I misunderstand? I know you still think I'm a naïve little girl father but I have the moral compass to know that this is an ethical abomination"

"The possible medical and technological discoveries from this find could help our entire race." He argued.

"For the right price though I bet."

"Nothing is ever free Annabelle, you of all people should know that."

Anna wasn't thinking of the money, all the pieces were starting to come together in her head to form a very ugly picture. The loss of communication with the colony on the planet housing the derelict, the marines being sent in. In the official report it was believed that the USF were responsible for the disaster. That they destroyed the colony by using the atmosphere processor as a makeshift nuke, killing all the colonists and marines in one.

It was all a lie though, just another cover up to hide the bare ugly truth that was her family's ambition. She felt the acidic touch of bile rise in her throat as she thought of all the people who had died for the future profit of a damn company. Everything her father had provided for her was possibly gained from lies and murder and what she just saw with the prisoner and the alien just demonstrated that.

"I think I've heard enough father thank you for the insight. I hope you sleep well tonight" she said the last words with all the spite and hate she could muster as she left for the door.

"Wait Anna!" Her father pleaded.

"No I've heard enough if you need me I'll be in the barracks with Cormack but I think you have everything covered on the murder department without me." She ventured out of the building as Benedict's reply was cut out by the automatic door closing behind her. She headed straight for the barracks with escape from the cold brutality of corporate scheming on her mind.

As she approached the guard's barracks she could still sense the monstrous ship resting in the middle of the epic hanger. The laughter coming from within from the men resting off duty could not lift any emotion from her; it seemed the ships very presence was flooding her mind, drowning any thought with a crushing pressure. It lay there as an alien mother, it's legs spread apart ready to birth unfathomable horrors into Anna's world.

Forcing her eyes from its monstrous form she entered the Barracks, but as she reached the door the white lit hanger erupted with the yellow flashes of klaxons activating as a voice rang echoing around from different speakers within the walls.

"Warning Sublevel doors are opening. Repeat. Sublevel doors are opening, please stand by."

As Anna turned her head she could see across the massive expanse of the hangar a large cargo elevator spreading its thick doors. Entering it were the two scientists carrying a metal container holding the alien infant, they were flanked on both sides by four heavily armed guards walking in a held formation. As the doors slid shut the staff working on the hangar floor erupted in conversation from a widespread silence moments before as they gazed on one of the reasons they were here.

After already seeing the spectacle of the creature, Annabelle could only chuckle slightly as she voiced her thoughts while walking into the Barracks.

"Jesus, next there will be a cargo lift to hell itself."

Walking through the long hallways of the barracks, the general camaraderie of the security staff withered away as they laid eyes on the daughter of Benedict Weyland. The sound of her high heels clattering of the floor didn't do her any favours on announcing a female presence within this predominately male environment. She ignored the hushed whispers and sly glances as she stalked through the massive hallway of bunk rooms and armouries to her destination.

The sound preceded the sight of the mess hall as raised voices blared like a raging storm within. Sliding the door open she was greeted by a small circling mob shouting and cheering at two figures in the centre, it was clear that these two were fighting as every strike was met with an even louder roar from their audience. As she worked her away around the human tsunami she could see no sign of James Cormack, the supposed leader of these dogs. It became clear though through the cheers of the men that Cormack was one of the two fighting.

Full of an irritated spite she marched inside the throng of flesh and testosterone, shoving and pushing through layer by layer of soldiers. Any who tried to deny her further entry were pushed back by fear alone as they recognised her identity and the reprisal of punishment it carried with her.

He appeared unharmed apart from an ugly bruise on the left side of his ribs. His opponent was larger but more damaged, his cuts pouring fresh blood into his eyes like a blinding crimson waterfall. His injuries didn't stop him fighting as he closed in a desperate charge throwing endless punches that were dodged easily by Cormack as he weaved past them.

As they separated again to regain some stamina Anna had witnessed enough and she stomped forward to stand between them, blocking any further combat Cormack and his opponent lowered their guards and begun to pant heavily. Cormack's pale face opened up in a flash of shock as fresh sweat bathed his bald head, wiping his eyes as the fresh salt stung into the bloodshot orbs. His opponent collapsed like a demolished building, knees buckled as his weight toppled to the ground, at this instant a group of the shoulders surrounded him like a protective shroud as they treated him.

Anna approached a lone Cormack with a bitter anger crawling up her thought, her mind screamed at her to slap him like she had done with her father. But as she closed in on him he raised a slight grin to meet her disgraced pout, without any control from her the raging inferno of her anger dimmed to a dull ember as she used a cloth from one of the tables to pat the blood from nose and brow.

"Thought you were busy with your old man and that nutcase of a brother." Cormack said, wincing as the cloth rubbed against the raw cuts lining his brow.

"Don't call him that" Anna whispered sharply. "Especially around the men, any one of them could report it back to him. What the hell was all this about anyway?"

"A pay disagreement, don't worry about it. And no they wouldn't. You don't realise it but everyone talks about it when his back is turned. He hasn't went crazy on anybody yet thank god."

"Shut up about it right now okay not after what I have just seen."

Cormack could see that Anna's pale face had turned a deathly white, her statuesque face looked ready to shatter like brittle glass. He tenderly gripped the hand Anna was using to dab his bloodied face and lowered it slowly, oblivious to all the men around him.

"Anna what is it? I've never seen you like this, what's wrong?"

"That fucking ship" she sputtered in between a rising sob. "There was this thing, this egg they took off the ship and it infected the prisoner my father brought back with him. After a while this thing burst out his chest, a living snake thing, it burst out his fucking chest like a hammer." She sunk into him like a ragdoll, sobbing uncontrollably in a silent despair as Cormack begun to lead her through the crowd. Her sense of presence and location deteriorated with each choked breath, before she realised it she was sat in Cormack's quarters with his four Lieutenants and a glass of scotch in her shaking hands.

As she recalled her story of what had occurred within the research station their faces grew more shocked by each passing sentence. Once she had finished each one of them had cigarettes in their hands and scotch in their mouths.

"Well we have got ourselves in a pretty little mess here sir." Uttered Navek, one of the lieutenants.

"It's not surprising though, I mean look at that fucking ship out there, it's just screaming 'horrible shit inside.' No wonder everyone here is under a contract of secrecy. This place would be purged like the plague if the military got wind of this" Cormack added.

"We have to remember GenCorp too." Anna noted. "They were on my father's tail the minute he acquired the ship and according to him he already had a facility built on an isolated planet but they were hounded off world all the way here." She stopped to refill her glass much to the dismay of James who looked at her with shocked eyes, a feeling that was becoming too familiar to her. "This place won't be purged though, I'm guessing that Anthony Grant will take the ship for Gencorps using the church as a cover since he's in its higher circle, he will claim it as a religious artefact."

"It's not the ship that's dangerous though is it?" Kellan asked.

"No it's the eggs, I heard there is thousands of them on the ship" Anna added.

"Yeah the ships empty apart from them and some giant fossilised alien strapped to a chair." Stone said as everyone else stared at him at this new revelation. "I don't know what you're all looking shocked at. The science team that excavated the ship reported about it, thing is huge but looks like he was grown outta the chair. Fucking freaky as hell if you ask me but all the star seekers in the facility won't shut up about it. Got a report earlier from upstairs saying they are working overtime to keep an eye on everyone's communications to make sure it hasn't leaked.

"Keep an eye on the confirmed Metatologists' communications. The hardliners will be desperate to spread the word that they may have found one of their gods." Anna ordered.

"No problem ma'am" Kellan answered

"During the next briefing on the alien organism I also want all of you to accompany me." Anna wasn't asking as the seduction of command began to take hold.

"Will that even be allowed Miss Weyland?" Miller, the youngest of the four asked. In part Anna believed that was because the he was the most hesitant about being involved with the alien in anyway.

"You scared of a little snake alien Miller?" The last of Cormack's Lieutenants uttered with a smile. Garret was definitely the arrogant one out of the four lesser commanders. His young body was crisscrossed with scars and burns from a harsh career with the Marines Engineer Corps. His records showed that he had been airlifted six times with grievous injuries and he had survived them all. Anna couldn't blame his arrogance, she would be too if she had survived so much.

"It's only young you idiot!" Miller argued. "It killed the guy by bursting through his ribs from the inside, just imagine the strength you would need to do that. Who knows what it will be capable of when it grows, thankfully there is only one."

"I hate to break it to you guys but it aint gonna stay that way for long" Cormack wished he had kept those words to himself but they needed to know.

"What the hell do you mean?" Anna burst out. Cormack always hated it when she pulled that angry face at him, always made him feel a couple inches shorter than her.

"Your brother paid the Judicial Department for death row prisoners for medical experiments. Didn't realise till now what that meant but they were all too happy to get rid of them. Even the off world prisons are starting to get overpopulated now, the first shipment is due in two days' time." As Cormack uttered this they all fell silent as the grave, this facility just turned from a research lab to a charnel house. Everyone at that moment wished they could be somewhere else.

"How many?" Anna asked distantly.

"Thirty according to the latest report, with just as many again by next month." Cormack uttered as he looked down at her. This news was just another slab of weight on her shoulders, he could only imagine what it was like when she saw the alien's birth. On this note he knew he needed to try and relax her a bit. "Boys get back to the men, I want this place locked up tight as can be got it?"

"Yes sir." They uttered as they filed out the room leaving the two behind in an uncomfortable solitude. Cormack hated those, he just never seemed able to say the right thing that would make everything better, he was a fighter not a lover. Burdened with this weakness though he decided to persevere and he crouched down beside her as she sat staring into oblivion.

"Come on gorgeous get out of your head and back into the living." He said tenderly as he held her face in his direction. She looked into his eyes but she didn't look convinced in the slightest. "No matter how bad it might seem we have got everything under control. Remember it's my job to make sure everyone is safe here."

"Your job" she laughed in his face "Then what the hell was that all about through there? Is that your damn job?" She shouted as she rose from her chair pointing to the direction of the mess hall. "You trying to beat discipline into your men, you know if my father catches anything like that he will have you in a doghouse. I don't understand why you're being so calm about all this. Just by doing our jobs we are aiding in the deaths of thirty people when they arrive here"

"Sounds like I'm already in the doghouse" He remarked with a sarcastic chuckle as Anna sank hopelessly back into the chair. "The reason I'm so calm about it is I have learned to deal with death since my time with the 18th and with this company. I used to remember the faces of the people I killed, some of them anyway. After a while everything just seemed to sink into normality, I could kill a man and a few days after I wouldn't even remember him." He recalled with a solemn, lonely tone seeping through his lips as Anna laid a hand on his arm, silent in receiving this small confession.

"Nearly everyone in the 18th has that problem; most of us just bury it deep with all of the other shit in ourselves. We used to fight each other like that daily you know." He announced holding a thumb behind his head in the direction of the mess hall. "We did it just to get some of the anger out, turns out that it works like a drug, once you release it you just want to keep letting it out. The trick most of the lads worked out was to shut it away for a time, though nearly all of us became divorced after 202, civilian life just seemed like a cage filled with boredom and anger."

"Either way I don't care the two of us just need to look after ourselves." Cormack pointed out. "Speaking of which my shift has ended, Kellan and Nevak are on duty for the next few hours so I'm grabbing some shuteye."

"Same" Anna admitted after a dragging yawn. Sleep felt like a guilty pleasure while she was at the facility. Feeling responsible for everything that happened here because she was related to the master of this experiment exhausted her to the bone. After what had happened to the prisoner Morse she felt even more uneasy surrendering herself to the abyss of unconscious, knowing what slithered underneath this level of the facility. Still though she couldn't face alone what might lay in wait for her in her vulnerable imagination.

Her hidden hope was answered as Cormack walked over to sit on his bunk, holding up the half bottle of scotch with one hand. The other pointing to his bruised, scarred face that carried an eager smile. "Could use some TLC you know."

"Thought you would never ask." She answered with a returning smile as she walked over to join him.


	5. Chapter 4: The Family

"If you want my honest opinion I think the 18th battalion should be disbanded. Through countless operations they have been through disciplinary procedures for defying orders and rules of engagement. Not to mention that many of it's members have been treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and others have been suspected of violent crimes including murder. Sadly no charges have ever been raised but who would try? They are pretty much a law unto themselves. I understand what they have accomplished and sacrificed for us but they are soldiers and soldiers need to follow orders or they are no better than tax funded murderers."

 _Senator Adam Rickshaw speaking at a press conference after the siege on the civilian transport ship the Nataro._

December 24th 0330 hours Gatekeeper Five, Flight controller David Bell's quarters.

The air inside the small room was thick with secondary smoke as Bell and Keenan sat opposite each other. Both quietly absorbed into their own thoughts, the bedside table beside them harboured two glasses filled with whiskey, watered by ice long melted. Living quarters on the Gatekeepers were cramped at best, with only a single cot with enough space for a small table and locker. The en-suite contained a crammed in toilet along with a sink and shower bay. These rooms were only meant for slumber, the Gatekeepers were built for wartime not comfort.

The whiskey was poured a half hour ago as a gift of hospitality but was ignored for the greater comfort of breathing space from the scrutinising eyes of Captain Edgan. Thankfully they were off duty for the night so it gave them time to consider their options in this delicate situation.

"Have you heard from your contact yet?" Bell asked as he took a heavy draw from his cigarette.

"Only a confirmation cipher that he received it. He won't risk sending anything to incriminating in case the channel is being monitored. Ten years ago the channel was as encrypted as could be but spyware technology has advanced so much since then." Keenan's answers tonight only sparked further curiosity from the young man.

"Encrypted channels? Spyware? Just who exactly did you send that message to?" He asked with the faintest of whispers.

"You don't need to whisper Bell I scanned the room for bugs when you were in the toilet." He answered directly and clearly, confident their conversation was private.

"What? That's exactly my point Keenan your no ordinary flight controller so who did you send it to?" Bell wasn't backing down, he had no idea how much danger he was in and he felt he had a right to know who he was trusting.

"I sent it to an intelligence contact based in Camp Elder on Mars, he is one of my oldest colleagues, we both used to be intelligence officers on this beast when it was first built." He chuckled sarcastically. "Good thing I decided to stay and keep an eye on things."

Bell sat back in clear surprise at this revelation and for the first time took a mouthful of the whiskey, feeling the sweet amber burn as it slid down his throat. "So why did you stay on this heap then, you obviously could have chosen to continue your career in the military?"

"It's a long boring story from a bitter old man so you will pardon me for not telling you. More importantly we need to concentrate on keeping each other safe and away from the captain's attention until I can figure out how to get us out here." Keenan grabbed his untouched whiskey and downed it in one swallow as he set it back down he grabbed the unlit cigarette from Bell's hand swiftly, lighting it to Bell's further amazement.

"You don't smoke old man." Bell remarked.

"I do when the situation calls, now do you have any immediate family? Wife or kids?"

"No just my father in Ohio." He answered confused by the nature of the question.

"Do you two have a good relationship?"

"Uh yeah. I live there when I come off rotation why?" Bell asked, becoming even more disturbed by the strange turn in conversation.

"If our exit goes as planned you might have to consider the fact you're not gonna be able to contact him till all this business blows over."

Bell's face contorted in a sudden anger. "Why the hell are you saying that?"

"Because if you try to contact him you will make him a target for whoever is involved with the ship we discovered." Keenan stated coldly as a matter of fact.

Suddenly Bell rose from his cot and paced the length of the room, taking only four steps to reach the end of the room only frustrated him further. "Why? He didn't do anything he is just an old engineer, Jesus!" he raged. "For all we know we are blowing this thing out of proportion and it is just the marines salvaging their lost ship and that other ship is probably just some stupid prototype. You could be just some bored old guy with a great imagination for conspiracy theories."

Keenan gripped the young man's shoulders and shoved him on the chair, kneeling down he shook the distraught young man until he looked into his eyes. "I don't blame you for thinking that Bell but sadly I'm hardly ever wrong. Do you think the marines would get the docking code wrong or that a salvage team were assigned a prototype ship with some fancy new alloy. That ship is alien and whatever it is it can't be good otherwise why would they skip quarantine with it." He held onto Bell's face next seeing a fear in those young eyes he never wished to see again. "This danger is very real son and we need to be vigilant or you risk endangering us and your father."

Bell paused for a moment visibly tensing up. He saw someone walk past his door through the room's door camera, seeing only another flight controller he relaxed. "I'm sorry. This clandestine business is wrecking my nerves."

"That's a good thing, it's always when you let your guard down that your in the most danger." Keenan warned. It wasn't until now that Bell noticed the deep worry lines on Keenan's pale face.

"Do you have any family back home to worry about?"

"No. I had a son and a brother but they're both dead."

"God I'm sorry, what happened to them?"

"Their ship was shot down during the UFS uprising. I'd rather not speak about the matter."

Bell damned himself inside for his careless curiosity. "Sorry. So how are we going to get out of here then? It's another four months till the end of rotation."

"I'm aware of that and I'm not waiting that long. Be ready to leave at a moment's notice."

"How will I know that it's time?"

"Trust me you will know."

December 24th 0400 hours Camp Elder Mars

His dreams never changed, whether life was on the up or down the past always returned to haunt him. A hound in a relentless lifelong pursuit, it would never lose the trail of its prey until a more powerful memory put it down.

So his subconscious was ever thankful for the rude awakening as he was shook from his nightmares by the caring hands of his new family. As he resurfaced slowly from the deep world of dreams he observed his surroundings, his mind must have been playing tricks on him. He knew the selection was over but still a hard faced marine awoke him with a slap to the cheek. Still he was strapped in the back of a screaming Cheyenne Dropship surrounded by soldiers he didn't know heading into the unknown.

This was different though, fear was replaced by anticipation and the soldiers surrounding him and Drake were no mere recruits, they were hardened killers. With time and a great deal of luck he would become one of them, he could only hope though that the father of this family wouldn't resent him like his last.

"Rise and shine children, this is your first day with the 18th and Death never sleeps so look alive!" Emmett shouted, his voice harkening above the screeching howl of space flight engines.

"Just because you two made it through selection don't mean you can slack it from here on now do you hear me?" Watts didn't realise that Jacobs was seated beside him, Drake was on his other side with the medic Cutter flanking him.

"Yes sir!" they both replied.

"Before we drop let me introduce you to the team, they will be your life and you will be theirs in due time so pay attention." Jacobs ordered as Emmett sat back down. "The guy who gave you the wake up kiss is Emmett, he is in charge of Alpha team and their sniper." The sniper eyeballed them menacingly as they stared back. He wore his hair close cropped with an evil looking crosshair tattoo on the left side of his neck; it only helped to make him look that much more unapproachable.

"Next is Smith, Bravo team leader and their smartgunner, he was a transfer from the British SBS when we fought at 202." The man Jacobs introduced could only be described as a giant, towering above anyone else on the dropship. He could have been mistaken for a gentle giant if it wasn't for the scars crisscrossed all over his tree trunk forearms and the long trident beard.

"And our medics Cutter and Straven." They already met before the tournament but Watts couldn't help but notice how close and identical they were. "Bruiser and Mallek our CQC specialists, you genuinely don't want to piss off these two." Bruiser, dark skinned with a barrel chest and shoulders like cannon balls bore a clean shaven head, his face flattened by a history of boxing and physical combat. Mallek though was a different beast, a Maori descendant, evident by the many tribal tattoos covering his body, he was violence embodied.

"Then you have our two tech engineers Tool and Tommens." Jacobs pointed out the two who were adorned with radio kits on their packs as well as compact wrist mounted computers that barely made a bulge on their wrists.

"Yeah we sadly made a wrong turn when we first went to college" Tool joked much to the laughter of the men.

"Next there is Camp, the sneakiest son of a bitch I have ever seen and Jackson our second smartgunner."

"Yeah we felt sorry for Jackson because he can't shoot for shit so we gave him a gun that does all the work for him." Cutter remarked, the joke raised more howls of laughter as Jackson flipped him the middle finger. "Don't worry Jackson you know I love you." Cutter laughed again.

"There's our explosive expert Boomer and our four riflemen Marty, Dacker, Harrid and Simmons. Boomer has a habit of placing a breach charge on every door he sees. The other guys make no mistake are lethal with anything they can get their hands on ain't you boys." They all thumped their chests loudly roaring in acknowledgement.

The Cheyenne's engines began to quieten as Watts could feel the conversion to vertical flight lurch in his gut. Marine pilots were trained to drop their troops in hard and fast into the enemy under fire, not to ensure the marines' meals remained in their stomachs. All movement shunted to a close as the ship landed and the wide bay door lowered, flushing that all too familiar red acrid dust into the team's vision and lungs.

Watts though didn't remember it being as loud outside as it was on his first arrival, the sound was accompanied by a constant heart-throbbing vibration that affected all as they disembarked. Even with the sky still black in the death throes of the ending night Watts would never forget the sight that beheld him and Drake as they saw the source of the activity. A ship nearly half a mile long, shaped like a rifle of the gods lowered itself into the embrace of one of the docking cradles. Pieces of discarded rubbish and debris were blown away from the ground beneath for hundreds of metres around it by it's powerful vertical thrusters scorching the planet's surface. It's immense weight settled into the strong arms of the cradle while supports groaned underneath as the destroyer settled it's colossal weight.

All of this was being illuminated by the blinding landing lights and klaxons around the dry dock bay beside the ship's resting place. Though the dock was a good few hundred metres away the busy throng of personnel on the dock was still visible to the Reapers like an ant hive. As well as the giant winged grim reaper painted on the rear of the black destroyer. Both Watts and Drake stood transfixed and dumbfounded as they gazed upon the awesome sight. Their shock and wonder was apparent as Jacobs slapped them both on the shoulder.

"She's the USS Terragora, well she's the mark two of the original. The 18th's ship so she is your new ship, you can have plenty of time to see her up close at the dry dock later so let's go." As they began to walk towards Camp Elder Jacobs stopped again looking confused. "Bishop where is the Ikara?"

The android had remained silent ever since the tournament, it wasn't like him. Jacobs wondered if his words to him before could have caused offence. Did androids achieve the concept of feeling, he wondered, hell knows because they made them so damn close to humans now it was hard to tell the difference.

"Admiral Garrett requested a Seal battalion to help neutralise a marauder stronghold near UFS space. The reports I'm reading are saying that two ships have been boarded since the fleet entered the system." The android replied coolly after reading his data pad."

"The Corps give him the biggest warship in existence along with a fleet to match and he get's boarded by a bunch of savages. Why the hell didn't he just nuke the scumbags out of existence? And why the hell were we not assigned that op?" Jacobs irritation was obvious as everyone stopped in their tracks.

Bishop answered once again. "Major Briggs opted the battalion out of the mission according to this report, would you like me to investigate sir?"

"No just leave it Bishop, he must have his reasons, sorry guys maybe next time. Let's just get Drake and Watts sorted out. As they continued to walk into the base the two in question were better able to grasp this soldier's paradise. The two new Reapers didn't go unnoticed by the resident soldiers on base though as all eyes fell on them walking through the street.

"Fresh meat Jacobs? Didn't realise you were all into young boys" A stranger voiced as they passed.

"Sorry Zeke we are more into fucking you Delta boys to show you who the real men are." He replied as Zeke's face flared crimson as the Reapers used his shame for their amusement.

As they continued walking Watts noticed more and more aspects of the base, each building served its own purpose or housed a vital element of the Special Forces Command. Walking past the different habitation blocks The Pit stood out clearly like a panther among lions.

"Yeah we decided to personalise the house with a few homely, antisocial touches, the brass hate it but Briggs just tells them to shove it anyway." The adoration in Jacobs' voice was apparent as Watts saw him smile for the first time.

It was Death's fortress envisioned in concrete and metal, painted in black like everything else owned by the battalion. The eye-catcher though was the large metal spikes protruding from the edges of the roof surrounding the entire building. Upon which hung plastic skeletons seemingly impaled through the chest cavities by the deadly construction.

"Welcome to the Pit boys, it doesn't look too inviting but that's the point. Keeps the other idiot forces from wandering in by accident when they come back from Haven drunk. It's a small fortress and you will never call another building home." Jacobs said affectionately as they walked towards the entrance.

"Is this our habitation block too sir?" Drake asked.

"Yeah, kinda thought you would wanna get some shut eye but your gonna have to hold out for that. Each team in the battalion has their own bunkroom with its own on-suite personal armoury. You guys have girls back on Earth?" Jacobs asked blankly.

Both replied with a shake of their heads.

"Good." Jacobs sounded cheerful. "Cause trust me it wouldn't last, your rifles will become your new love. You're allowed to buy her fancy accessories and make her stand out but within reason. Boomer nearly killed himself by tarting her out too much." The memory of that incident still made the Staff Sergeant believe in luck.

"C'mon Grim the underbarrel incinerator was a good idea at the time." Boomer protested.

Emmett scoffed while walking beside him. "Yeah it's just a fuel tank built under a searing hot rifle barrel. What could possibly go wrong?"

"Black still doesn't give me the time of day." Boomer continued. "Trust me privates stay on Sergeant Black's good side, the guy's a magician gunsmith."

Conversation halted as they entered the apparently standard front double doors which led to a large entryway with a single person sitting beside a security desk and four doors at separate points in the room. The Reaper at the desk stood up from his seat to address Jacobs. "Hey Grim this pair the new two?"

"Yeah fresh off selection guys this is Johns, security detail is a random selection to keep an eye on what's going on in the building. Unlucky for Johns tonight it's his turn, everyone still asleep?" Jacobs asked.

"No the whole building woke up when your wife arrived; apparently her hubby is in your bunkhouse right now alone with Strig. I could hear him barking from here." Johns tried desperately to hold back a snigger but failed.

"Shit well this should be interesting. Maybe he's ripped the poor bastard's throat out already, saves me having to feed him later." Jacobs' bleak side returned with a vengeance. "Where's Veronica and Rain then?"

"Last time I saw they were in Captain Phillips' quarters, by the way he looked pretty beat up about something so I'd deal with Mr Corporate first." Johns recommended.

Smith near stomped beside him laying a giant hand gently on his commander's shoulder. The Scotsman towered over the man making the Staff Sergeant look more human than usual. "Don't worry Boss I'll take the privates to get their gear from the quartermaster you better go deal with the family stuff."

"You better hurry your ass up and come and save me then big man." Jacobs' plea sounded genuine.

"Don't worry come on lads let's get your Christmas presents early." And he led the two into one of the doors away from the team. The hallways of the building were plain and devoid of decoration unlike the outside of the building. It made any sense of location and navigation impossible like a maze; they walked in silence for a moment until Watts decided to test the waters with this titan of a man. "So does this make you Santa then sir?" Watts asked with a sarcastic tone.

Drake decided to add in. "Sir I'm not sitting on your knee just to get my service rifle."

Smith's laughter bellowed out echoing through the corridors like cannon fire, the volume of his outburst surprised the other two. "Oh I'm glad Grim picked you two, been needing a good laugh for ages." Smith admitted between bouts of laughter.

"Why do you call him Grim sir?" Watts asked

"I call him that cause he is such a miserable bastard but when you see him in a firefight you will see why he earned the nickname from the other lads. Now come on let's get your gear and get back. You might see the one person who makes him properly happy and another two who make him more pissed off than anyone I know.

"Please get this thing the hell away from me!" He screamed.

Saliva dripped from a grinning row of sharp deadly teeth as it pressed him further and lower into the corner. Its vicious growling reverberated through the room like a rumbling diesel engine, eyes as pale as snow seeked the blood inside him with an insatiable hunger.

"Strigoi come! Now!" Jacobs barked. Hearing his master's call the warhound walked backwards to stand beside him, never breaking eye contact from its target. On all fours next to Jacobs the animal's shoulders were above his waistline. "You're bad Strig. Drooling on his nice expensive suit." He clapped the dog's immense head tenderly; the action calmed the beast except from the occasional snarl towards the intruder. "Surprised you're still alive Alan, you're looking immaculate as always.

Alan climbed back up slowly from his cowering pose, he tried his best to straighten his suit but the large saliva stain ruined any hope of recovery. He pointed towards the warhound. "Those monstrosities were outlawed years ago, it should've been destroyed." He shouted.

"You file a report and I'll set him on you. Trust me I've dreamed of it enough, now where is my wife and daughter?" Jacobs' voice carried the danger of threat without raising a decibel.

"In the other room with your captain and it will be ex-wife soon so long as you finally sign those damn papers."

"Sorry I must have mistaken it for junk mail, guess you will just have to pay to get it delivered from Earth again." He sneered.

"You think that I'm intimidated by you Ryan. Just remember..."

"I know you're intimidated by me Alan." Jacobs cut in with another smile.

"Just remember who she is with now. You had your chance but you blew it the second you laid hands on her. No matter what you try to scare me away with it won't work." Unbeknownst to Jacobs it took all of Alan's willpower to utter those words with a steady voice. It didn't help that Strigoi still refused to break eye contact with him. Their private battle of wills though was interrupted by the rest of the team barging through the single door into the room. They dumped their gear next to their respective bunks and sat at the table positioned at the head of the room completely ignoring Alan, much to his gratitude. It didn't last long though.

After a minute Camp turned in his seat, he was scraping under his fingernails with his serrated combat knife, while gazing at his commander and the intruder.

"So Boss what's Mr Corporate doing here with us mere trench-warmers?" He said calmly.

"It's actually Mr Penning Corporal." Alan replied defiantly.

"Wow so you do have teeth then, careful I might decide to take them for a necklace." Camp teased while he spun his knife skilfully in his hand while staring further daggers into Alan with glee.

"Down boy." Mallek said as he caught the knife by the blade deftly between his fingertips. "Besides he's English so Smith might break those teeth before you can pull them out." A maniacal laughter erupted from the team around the table; it chilled Alan's blood further, almost close to freezing. His fear and the laughter stopped as the door slid open to reveal Jacobs' wife Veronica and his ten year old daughter Rain.

"Rain!" The team cheered together as she ran into her father's arms that lifted her up with a vice-grip hug.

Jacobs ignored the room and everyone in it for the next few moments as he focused on the rare feeling of having his daughter in his arms again. "God I've missed you so much sweetheart." His voice was muffled from embracing his daughter so closely.

"I missed you more daddy. You better have loads of stories to tell me by the way or get you're not getting a Christmas present." She teased.

"I do, more than you can count." He lowered her gently, feeling his heart pulling away as he let go of her. "Now I need you to take Strig and go talk to your uncles while I talk to your mother and Alan."

"You know I can count higher than you dad and you three better not fight." She ordered to the three adults.

"We won't now scram." Jacobs lied.

She stuck her tongue out at her father as she led the giant warhound away to the table, the warhound obeyed her instantly. She was lifted onto the table by Emmett as the team began to fill her in on their latest adventures. Rain was different to most girls her age, where most ten year old girls were still playing with dolls she was obsessed with her father's line of work. It caused a lot of grief and annoyance to her mother. They were both mirror imaged with pale complexions and auburn hair but Rain inherited her father's eyes, those pale blues that pierced any façade with a sharp intelligence.

"You know Ryan I hate it when the teachers tell me those graphic stories after she has already told them to her whole class." Veronica said irritably

"Then why don't you stop her?" Jacobs countered.

"Do you not think I've tried. But she has to have her father in her life somehow since she barely ever sees you." She said spitefully. Their relationship had died when Jacobs returned home from the battle of LV 202. Even after the months of physical rehabilitation and counselling the horrors of the battle returned with him with a vengeance. Since their separation Jacobs had provided for the two with the entirety of his salary from the marines, while Veronica played the role of a single parent. Any attempts for a relationship with another man for her ended miserably, some from poor choice on Veronica's part some others just disappeared. One who disappeared was later found dead in an alleyway beaten into a lump of flesh and bone that couldn't be called a human body.

"I'm due some leave in a month for a few weeks; Mallek's going to lend me his father's beach house in New Zealand again. Rain loved it there last time so I'll take her there if you're okay with that?" He asked while he watched his daughter adoringly while she played around with Emmett's thermal goggles.

"Ryan that's what Alan and I came here to talk to you about. It can't wait." She sounded serious, her tone unsettled Jacobs deeply.

"What is it?" Jacob's tone turned serious.

"Well Alan has received a promotion." Her voice wavered, knowing what was coming.

"Congratulations." He said coldly. "So what's that got to do with me?"

"Well its off-world and he has asked me if Rain and I would go with him."

"Where?" He asked, knowing that bad news was incoming.

"On Horizon. The company are using it as a staging base for further expansion of the Anglo-Jap arm. I'm to be the Weyland's eyes and ears on Special Projects in the region." Alan said with a satisfaction born of his own feeling of self-importance. His words cut deep into Jacobs' heart though, hurting him more than he thought possible.

"That's the edge of explored space!" He snarled, loud enough to show them how he felt but not enough to alert Rain. "Besides Veronica they only let company personnel take a partner if they are married and…" His voice trailed away into nothing as he gazed down at the rock on her finger. It was substantially larger than the diamond Jacobs had gifted her so long ago when life seemed filled with promise and hope.

Everything came together in his mind concerning the reason for Alan's presence during this visit and it only further angered him. "Ah I fucking get it now. So you both come up here to finally get me to sign the papers so you two can tie the knot and drag my daughter to the other side of space!" His willpower held back harsher words though the barrier was weakening.

"This divorce is nearly eight years overdue." Veronica pointed out coldly. "So it's about time you stopped selfishly living in the past and ruining my life!"

He had heard those words before in many video link arguments but the reality of this severance occurring never seemed believable to him. Until he looked at that ring he always believed that somehow things would all fall back into place eventually. He realised though that everything was finally falling apart, his naïve belief was dead. Just another piece of his soul ripped off to leave only a few lonely, calcified bones to form a fragile mental skeleton. He was not only losing contact with a woman who he had sworn his life to but a link to his only happiness. Any erupting feelings of anger though were harshly cooled off as his feelings were drowned in the reality of life.

"When do you leave?" He asked with a bowed head, his tone betrayed any attempt to hide his anguish."

"In a few weeks, I have to settle some affairs on Earth so we will be in Shanghai for the duration and the wedding. We do need those divorce papers though. Ryan I'm truly sorry." Alan said without spite, he didn't want to kick a man who was already down.

Without word Jacobs stomped down past the table, paused briefly to kiss Rain on the head and disappeared into his private room. He emerged a moment later and returned to them with a few crumpled pieces of paper. He handed the papers towards Alan who looked with confusion at the thin hole that cut through the important sheets of paper, he also noted the clearly old signature on the paper too.

"I signed it a few months ago before I decided to use it for target practice, don't worry it should be accepted, if not then I'll have Briggs handle the paperwork." Jacobs stated gruffly.

"Thank you Ryan." Veronica said as she gently laid a hand on Jacobs' shoulder. "Adam found us quarters until the next flight is scheduled to leave the day after tomorrow so I'll let Rain stay with you until then."

Jacobs could have kissed his Captain for offering them accommodation but he probably knew then that this was Jacob's last chance to spend with his daughter before she was taken away from him. He didn't even want to comprehend how long it would be before he could hold her again. What was worse was the fact that he might be killed on an operation before he could see her again. He hadn't felt so defeated in years.

The door opened to reveal Smith, the two new members and Captain Phillips. The Smith led Watts and Drake over to the table while the Captain stayed at the door near the life-changing conversation.

"If you three are finished your quarters are this way Veronica." He held his arm out to gesture them.

"Thank you Captain, come on Alan." She let him out the door before turning to call to Rain. "Good night honey, be good." There was no reply, she was clearly too busy laughing hysterically being hung upside down by Smith, her pale face reddening as the blood rushed to her head. For the first time Jacobs saw Veronica smile before she turned to him. "Please take care of her; she's the best thing that ever came out of our life together.

"Yeah she is. You should get some sleep, don't worry this is probably the safest room in the planet for her." Jacobs replied meaning every word of that statement. Behind the table at the end of the room was a secure armoury that contained everything in the team's arsenal; rifles, pistols, shotguns, smartguns and Camp and Emmett's long rifles. The last assembly time for the team to suit up their gear completely was just over three minutes. They were always ready for confrontation even on their home base.

"I know." She said solemnly before closing the door.

Pausing briefly to compose himself he wandered to the table letting his knees give way as he collapsed in his seat, Rain automatically climbed onto his lap to listen to Emmett and Camp argue over their longest confirmed kill. The atmosphere was jovial as the family was united finally with their young niece and two new brothers. Everyone laughed as jokes were traded with as many insults. Another knife entered his heart as Ryan knew that this perfect moment had an expiry date outwith his control.

Smith paused everyone, noticing Jacob's demeanour before the others. "Ryan what's wrong? You're looking more miserable than usual even though Rain is here." Smith asked. Even Strigoi noticed his master's unease as he nuzzled his hand while sitting beside him.

He sighed heavily while he held his daughter, wishing for the impossible so that time would freeze. "I guess I better tell you guys about what's going on." He paused briefly for a moment wishing again that what he was about to say wasn't true. "Veronica and Alan are travelling to Horizon for his work and they are taking Rain with them. They leave in a month's time."

The words took a moment to sink in as the team fell silent, Drake and Watts didn't even know the gravity of the situation. From the reaction of the men around them though they realised this young girl meant a lot to them and this news hit them harder than a bullet to the chest.

"Pardon me sir but you two are still married, it wouldn't be possible." Harrid said, the rifleman of Middle Eastern descent was the most silent and polite of the group. So whenever he spoke his words were never ignored.

"I just handed her the divorce papers there." He uttered under a defeated tone.

"How long till you have to leave sweetheart?" Watts and Drake were taken aback as Emmett asked the question, he sounded so caring and unsettlingly human.

"My Mom says we're leaving in two days." Rain answered sadly. "I'm so sorry; I didn't want to make everyone sad." She began to cry into her father's shoulder who then held her tightly into him.

Smith walked over and clapped her smooth dark hair until she stopped crying a few minutes later and looked up at him with puffy red eyes filled with sorrow.

"So we have two nights then we better tell you as many gory stories as possible so you can scare all those wimpy colony kids when you show up and rock their minds" The Scotsman said with a grinning smile. "You up for an all nighter with the lads, beat the newbies at arm wrestling?"

"As long as you finally let me have one beer." She replied happily with pleading eyes.

"Maybe I will think about it later, it's way too early yet for that. Too early for food either. Damn, well I guess we better tell you about the Nataro mission until the mess hall opens."

Rain's face opened up with happiness as she settled back down and the team began to tell the tale of their most recent operation. They made sure to leave out the worst parts of that particular story.

Despite everything though Jacobs eventually relaxed as the tale continued, every word eagerly absorbed by Rain and without realising it, both the Privates. If this was his last two days he was gonna spend with her for possibly years to come, they were both going to enjoy every second of it with his family.


	6. Chapter 5: Eyeless

"When we eventually do encounter the Creators we must be determined and brave in the face of our fears. Their ways will seem completely alien to our species but we as a race have lost our way since they left us. Their purpose for us will become clear after we have surrendered ourselves to their enlightening and fulfilling embrace. So I ask that when we are reunited with them, do not rail against the non believers. While we accept the coming, all will succumb to it. No matter what do not fight it for only they know our species' true destiny."

 _A piece of the Metatology book of Ascendancy by Matthew Rorikstead._

December 24th 0500 hours Shanghai Facility Sublevel Two: The Enclosure

The firstborn laid on it's side within its alien prison, completely aware of the audience viewing it through the electrical eyes mounted on the walls of the large chamber. They watched it writhe on the cold metallic floor, growing faster than anything known to mankind. When the human captors had released it within the chamber in its larvae form, it had spent valuable time trying to find an avenue of escape or at the very least shelter for it to begin its metamorphosis. To no avail it held off it's evolution no longer.

The growth of its body was unlike the maturation of most organisms in the cosmos, where most merely grew in size after a long period of vulnerable infancy from the form of their birth. This growth was a transformation into something more adaptable and deadly. It's meteoric ascension into maturity was assisted by it's captors who had left the body of its first victim, the forced parent that had died giving birth to this monster. The miniscule form had feasted on the fresh meat to only further quicken it's growth, as child devoured parent the cycle of life continued.

Ripping the weak, saturated, peeling skin from around it's now sweltering body. The milky, blood stained skin was tore away to reveal a hardened black exoskeleton. The young creature's head now raised from the serpentine body, thick dorsal tubes erupted from a thickening back while thin, spindly legs appeared from underneath it. A cloud of hot, vaporizing steam rose from the restless creature as it clawed away the remaining skin creating a boiling heap of discarded embryonic flesh. Revealing glistening dark bones that now formed the pubescent harbinger of death. Something young in life but primordial from a dark origin deep in the stars of the night sky.

Once rid of the vulnerable shell the creature rose on all four legs unsteadily, it's limbs shaking with the effort of loading weight on the untested joints. These tremors passed within heartbeats as those limbs proceeded to drive the creature's body around the large chamber with a rapid, intense pace, taking it's first steps without novelty, merely a fatal purpose. Second by second it could feel it's sense of existence turn from a small, vulnerable parasite into a predatory hunter and deep inside it's ancient genetic memory a more dangerous purpose was kindled. The instinct of a mother, to procreate and establish a nest of it's kin, a new home.

Within the species laid an uncommon sense for the presence of living lifeforms, for it's own and the other host organisms. It's growing mind flooded as this sense evolved as quickly as it's body, raising its head slowly as fresh, thick saliva dripped from its jaw while a hollow, pitched hiss emanated from its mouth. Above the prison countless hosts surrounded an insurmountable level of a mother's offspring, such a perfect recipe for reproduction stirred the young creature into duty with vigour and determination.

The interior of the massive enclosure was painted a stark, snowy white, fortifying the light from the powerful lamps sunken into the roof. They were encased in a hardened glass shell to protect the brightness that cured the enclosure of all trace of virulent shadow. Every single piece of evidence from the alien was highlighted under the oppressive glare while numerous cameras followed it's every move. The beast could hear the servos inside the devices from all angles with it's unnatural senses. There was nowhere for it to hide. The only obstruction came from thick large concrete pillars symmetrically place around the chamber to support the crushing weight of the roof and the facility above.

It stopped in it's tracks for a moment as it surveyed and planned the next move. The brain filled with a seemingly infinite memory, a genetic archive of lives lived from countless generations of its ancestors before it. Only still a child the alien creature was fiercely intelligent, the memories creating a different perspective from a mere fleeing parasite to the embodiment of an eternal force.

Species before these sapiens had attempted to observe the aliens before now, some with more sophisticated methods than these futile devices but all had done so to their own demise. These ones would be would no different.

The alien leapt upon one of the pillars, the body glued to the smooth surface by thousands of microscopic needles covering every inch of skin. Crawling up, it reached the roof attaching itself to the next surface without doubt of it's abilities, merely determined to reach it's target. The blinding light was encased within a thick bubble of toughened glass. But in the blink of an eye it was shattered as the alien hammered its spear-ended tail through the barrier.

Once the light was cut out a large cone of darkness engulfed the area beneath the alien as it leapt back down to the floor. Landing quietly it's arms and legs crushed the broken glass, the transparent shards failing to pierce it's new skin. It absorbed the darkness in ecstasy feeling the abyss of light bleed into every inch of its sleek body. The darkness though was a deserted island among the rest of the lit enclosure.

As the release of darkness washed over the alien it lay once more as burning heat emanated from the black skin signalling the continuance of its maturity. It surrendered itself without concern even as the cameras around it tried desperately to peer into the shroud to further monitor the creature. The human behind the lenses desperate for a glimpse of the creature but in the end it was a futile effort.

The enclosure's observation room had its own battle between light and darkness as multiple monitors lit the backdrop of the walls and the single face of the monitors' only viewer as he watched his own personal monster movie. A coffee cup rested on the desk, full but without warmth as it sat rejected for the past hour, the steam that it once produced now absorbed into the cold atmosphere within the cramped cupboard of a room.

The observer was oblivious to his neglected vice as he stared intensely into the bright monitors, his eyes bloodshot and dried from prolonged exposure to the video feed from the alien's new home. As the creature rested in the dark he finally moved from his statue-like position, wincing in pain as his limbs succumbed to the sudden cramp from breaking from their frozen positions. His breath regaining its regular pace as he leaned back into his high-backed swivel chair; his eyes began to sting without mercy as it adjusted to the darkness behind the monitors.

"Good Christ" He muttered as he stared up at the roof, spinning his chair around in slow revolutions. He continued this for what seemed like forever until he stopped and reached for the video-phone.

"This better not backfire" He continued to speak to no one as he placed a contact card into the device's slot. A high pitched tone rang through the quiet room as he waited for the recipient to answer. The screen continued to remain black for a few moments as Spencer pondered cancelling the call. As he reached to pull out the card the screen lit up to accompany the many monitors behind it, the man on the other end managed to look busy even though he'd just awoken from a rare sleep. He was dressed in a plain white tank top with an unbuttoned shirt covering his pale shoulders, his glasses hung low on his nose as he gazed a scrutinising stare onto Spencer.

"Spencer this better be good" He rubbed his still sleepy eyes as he uttered the barely audible reply, if it wasn't for the silence around him Spencer wouldn't be able to hear Monroe.

"I need to be up in a few hours to brief the Weylands on the alien's progress so if this isn't good you're on triple shifts in that cell you call an observation room." He continued as his glasses magnified the annoyance in his eyes.

"That's just it sir, the alien." He paused as he glanced at the monitors. "There's been some developments."

Monroe paused for a minute as his still waking mind processed what was said.

"I will be down in a few minutes" Before Spencer could reply the feed was cut leaving him with his own thoughts and the black monster on the other side of the monitors. Seeking comfort he desired the smell of freshly brewed Earth-grown coffee, he decided to make one for the Doctor too since he looked pleased as he left rather than enraged. Better, he thought, to keep on his good side. He didn't bother making any for the staff in the room outside that both connected to the enclosure. The security and scientists could see the same things he could but they had other duties to attend to. His small module sat in the corner, enclosed from light and noise designed specifically for observation only. Spencer's only duty was to watch and record everything his eyes could see.

As he tore his gaze away from the monitors to make the coffee he was oblivious to the movement appearing out of the darkness on the monitors beside him. As if it could sense when someone was watching it, the alien emerged quickly from the darkness to Morse's bled out corpse. It tenderly felt it's womb before it wrapped a steely, clawed hand around the body's ankle. So strong was the grip that the bones beneath the dead skin broke with a slow crack. Swiftly it dragged the body back into the dark, leaving a crimson smear stark against the white floor as Spencer turned back to the monitors.

"What the…" He breathed as he locked his eyes back into the digital view of the horror happening beneath his very feet, his hands gripping the top of his chair with white knuckles as he saw the trail of blood leading into the invisible.

He barely blinked as the door behind him slid open, Monroe entered swiftly standing beside Spencer before either could greet the other.

"What happened to the light and the body?" Monroe enquired.

"I'd tell you but it's better to show you. To be honest I need to see it again to believe it." Spencer started to type away on the large keyboard hogging the small table in front of the monitors. As the playback began both fell silent watching history repeat itself, Spencer watched in shock and fear while Monroe gazed with the eyes glistening in wonder of a father watching his child grow.

"Praise the Creator it's growing faster than we anticipated even beyond what I thought was possible." Monroe noted.

"It only left the dark to collect the body, it hasn't left it for anything else."

"Even though it doesn't appear to have any visual sensory organs it can still depict light, it's amazing, like it knows it's being observed." Monroe smiled.

"Oh trust me it knows, when it stared into the camera the fucker didn't move till my eyes left the screen, creeped me out."

"This isn't a 'fucker' Spencer." The sound of profanity coming from Morse's mouth was almost as alien as the animal they observed. "This creature is incredible, among all the organisms in our universe this is possibly the most biologically advanced we as a species have ever discovered. It is perfect, too perfect to be created by natural evolution alone."

"Sounds like it suits the theory of Metatology perfectly then" Spencer commented with an edge of scepticism in his voice.

Monroe turned to face him with an icy glare. "I take it you're not a religious person then Spencer?" He was sick of his religion being persecuted like a farce.

"I'm an agnostic doctor, in my mind organised religion has done mankind in general nothing but harm during our species brief existence on top of the food chain."

"You know nothing young man and Metatology is different to other religions. We have had a peaceful…" Monroe protested but was held to shock as Spencer held up his hand and interrupted his powerful superior. As their debate furthered their eyes drifted from the multiple screens and the dark figure rushed from the shadows. It's observers too wrapped up in humanity's squabbles to notice the threat separated from them only by a wall.

"Please sir. Allow me a moment" Spencer asked. The doctor regained his composure with a scrutinizing frown and his arms tightly crossed.

"Ever since humans have been able to communicate with the written word and speech, we have believed in a controlling hand in our creation. Our species have always had the arrogance that we are too advanced than everything else to be created by evolution alone, that we are the master race." Spencer spoke as Monroe took a sip from his coffee and pulled his head back staring at the cup.

"Wow this is good coffee."

"Yeah should be its farm grown, none of that manufactured shit now where was I? So nearly every religion has its single deity responsible for mankind's creation, your god just happens to be out of our reach right now much like the ancient religions before the space age. Your religious texts were written by a man who was suspected of mental illness before he took his final journey out into deep space. He made himself a martyr by escaping before his sanity could be verified."

"Rorikstead was a brilliant pioneer." He argued. "He realised that from a scientific and theological perspective that we were created by an alien race far more advanced than we could comprehend. At the time we had just grasped the mastery of genetic engineering in our own species."

"A discovery which was mostly shelved because scientists like you realised that to advance us way beyond our evolutionary timeline was an ethical minefield. Your church has had plenty of violent confrontations, just look at the riots in Texas in 2135 to name one of many. Your fellow believers turned the state nearly into a war zone."

"No I'll stop you right there!" Monroe's anger and outrage was clearly visible as his face turned red with thick veins rising on his head, appearing near the point of bursting the blood vessels. "We were constantly subjected to abuse and scrutiny from the Christian community, we wanted to live in peace. We initially protested because we were pushing to have Metatology recognised as a true religion. All we wanted was to live in harmony and peace, to practice our beliefs. But when those right wing fanatics burned down that church building full of innocent people they not only attacked those people they attacked our religion."

"But from what I remember most of those responsible were charged and given heavy sentences off planet." Spencer leaned forward gently thrusting his hand out towards the doctor to try and hammer his points across. "Not long after that three Christian churches went up in flames the exact same way. After that both factions started rioting in some regions of the state, hundreds died before a state of emergency was declared and the planetary guard were called in. Now tell me doctor how that isn't a violent stain on your so called peaceful religion?"

Monroe sat speechless in his plastic chair staring blankly at Spencer. His eyes unfocused as he was lost in thought of fact and faith. After a moment as silent as the grave he took a slow sip of coffee and answered. "Okay Spencer I must as a man of fact as well as belief agree with you; that was a dreadful moment in our religion's short history. It seems to me that there is more to you than meets the eye. I actually enjoyed that heated debate, if you would allow me I would like to have more of these talks in the future and more of this lovely coffee."

"Sure, your not as bad as I thought Doctor, I always try to distance myself from Metatologists but you seem to be one of the rare few gems that isn't as close-minded. Besides I could use the company, watching this thing is horrifying at..." Spencer stopped mid-sentence as he recognized the gradual loss of light from the monitors in the room. He stared at the remaining lit screens with jaws agape, this reaction prompted Monroe to look too. As he did the shocked expression was shared between them.

Of the endless cameras that were positioned inside the enclosure most were black while one showed the alien crawling across the roof to knock out another one of the enclosure's powerful lights, killing any view from that camera. They watched silently as the alien proceeded to knock out every light in the enclosure, enshrouding it in complete darkness over a course of mere minutes. With the enclosure being a few hundred metres wide to accomplish such seemed impossible in so little time.

"Jesus Christ it's making us blind throughout the enclosure, its knocked out all the damn lights." Spencer began to cycle frantically through all the camera's hoping for some luck.

"Don't they have night vision or thermal lenses?" Monroe asked.

"Yeah but night vision won't work if there isn't any faint ambient light to amplify. Wait. We've got one light." Spencer stopped typing as the gazed at the solitary bulb dimly illuminating the secure entrance into the enclosure. It lit the floor around the door like a theatre's singular attention-grabbing spotlight. In the darkened edge a figure could barely be seen as a moist, glistening carapace peaked carefully into the light.

"Its just sitting there waiting." Spencer pointed it, his voice rising close to a panicked shout. He turned to face the doctor, his face visibly shaking with dilated pupils. "Doctor if anyone enters there they will be blind and lit up like Christmas."

"Interesting way of saying it Spencer" He looked as calm as he was before this situation arose. "The night vision lens will be flared with that light wont it? Try the thermal."

Spencer began to type away on the controls as the screen flashed into a dim grey. It was contrasted by a stark white circle positioned at the light's source. The alien though was only just barely registering to the thermal sensors, only a faint ghostly outline was visible.

"Now tell me Doctor how that is possible. The report I received said they tested the infant and it's body temperature was over sixty degrees Celsius."

Monroe held his chin with one hand, the other crossed with his arm deep in thought as he watched and theorised to the reason of the alien's invisibility. "Your right it should be impossible but… bear with me on this, this creature so far has surpassed all our expectations of how much an organism can accomplish with its body alone. We know from reports that it bleeds heavily corrosive molecular acid when it is attacked, it can apparently differentiate light and dark without any visible form of eyes. From what we have seen here it can attach itself to walls like an insect even though it is the size of a large dog right now, though the same reports say they grow to around seven to eight feet."

"Fucking hell doctor that's frightening."

"I'd actually say that's incredible. Now my theory is it may have some sort of bio-electric field that helps shield it against other forms of detection. Maybe early in the species' evolution they were hunted by another predatory race that had a sense system much like a snake's."

"Don't you ever think Doctor that just because you can do something doesn't mean you should."

Monroe paused for a moment to ponder the question. "Every day I'm here. But if I wasn't here my position would be filled by someone less skilled. Here I'm merely an instrument. And while I'm aware of the unethical nature of this study. I will make sure that any life taken to gain the knowledge from this discovery will not be wasted by ineptitude."

Spencer sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair rubbing his face roughly, silently wishing he had denied this job proposal. That he had just stayed back in England with his wife Mary and their two sons. His job as a visual engineer with the company wasn't lucrative but it had been enough to give them a better life than most of their respective families. The boys' college funds were coming along. So was the mortgage so why, he thought to himself did he take this assignment.

The truth was a complete sense of security for his sons' future. Nowadays you either worked for one of the big corporations, have a reasonable or prosperous career. Or you worked for one of the desperate small time companies among the masses in a dangerous assembly line or warehouse. Afterwards you would go home to a titanic apartment block rife with crime and violence, policed by overly-vigilant law enforcement.

Spencer had lived that life briefly and barely escaped so he would do his best to make sure his family was set for the future and never had to feel that depravity or desperation. Even if it meant working for Benedict Weyland himself, surrounded by cold, calculating scientists and murderous private contractors with a deadly alien monster plotting beneath his very feet.

"No matter what your theory is doctor we need to get people in there and repair and secure those lights." He pointed out blankly while pointing at the blinded monitors.

"I agree but it will be impossible with the alien in the enclosure, we will need to contain it."

"Wait I've got a better idea. Why not just use some droids" Spencer recommended. "No risk to human life plus we could link their optical feeds here."

Monroe was surprised by the suggestion, slapping Spencer on the shoulder firmly. "Excellent idea, can't believe I didn't think of it in the first place. Lack of sleep I guess, I'll acquire some from the engineer station when I debrief the Weylands in a few hours until then I need some more sleep."

Spencer swung his chair to position himself back towards the monitors and began to observe them all through infrared. "Sounds good I'll call if anything develops but I think the creature is done causing damage for a while. He's got nothing to do but sit and wait for the next development."

"I agree, good night Spencer." Monroe said as he exited the observation room. He didn't admit it but in that short space of time he had grown to like Spencer. He knew it was a silly thing to grow attached to any of the lower ranked staff though, once this project was completed they would all be dead.

"Good night Doctor." Spencer called out, his eyes never leaving the screens. All he had to do was sit in his seat till the handover was complete in a few hours. A few hours in his front row seat to his very own blind monster movie.

Down below in the darkness the alien revelled in it's sanctuary, aware of it's invisibility it slowly walked towards it's first kill. Slick, clawed fingers trailed along one pillar, the thick slime trailed from the end of the digits, lightly smearing the wall as it reached the former host. Slowly lowering into a tense crouch it pushed the same hand inside the mauled corpse, through it's gateway into life.

Feeling around the soft, cold organs it's hand reached inside the womb it had grew in not so long ago, feeling the slight pull of a former home. It's entire body had once fit into this small space. Now it's black hand barely made it inside the wound, clawed digits tearing dead skin when it entered. Congealing blood stuck to the already moist hand, the lifeblood solidifying against the bony, black hand. It tore the hand outwards pulling a piece of the host's lung along with it, the tissue catching against one of its razor sharp claws. This was quickly removed from existence by the alien's tongue, the inner jaw snapping shut around the decaying flesh.

It gripped the human's head tightly and dragged him to the nearest pillar as a small release of pressure could be felt in its grip. The skull had burst open leaving a fresh trail of blood littered with tiny amounts of brain tissue on the darkened floor.

It then hoisted him up with both arms with little effort, slapping him against the wall and holding him in place while fresh blood dripped from his newly-angled wounds. The alien began to emanate strong gurgling sounds from deep inside the throat. It's jaws shook violently as copious amounts of thick, oily saliva came forth like a flood. It regurgitated thick black mucus from the inner jaw, showering the corpse in the heavy dark liquid that began to solidify within seconds. The creature tenderly rubbed the mucus all around the body connecting more and more of it between the human and the pillar sealing them together in a strong hold of something appearing like crystalline steel. The resin began emanating a strong stench that signified the cellular fungus beginning to grow; soon it would grow further to make the mounting of future hosts more easily.

For new hosts though there must be new offspring to utilize the cattle to birth new siblings and soon a mother, for that there needed to be eggs. This is where the host would offer his last gift of life long after death had claimed him.

The tail lifted from the ground, poised at the corpse's abdomen, quivering with energy as it struck inside the fleshy target. Quickly the razor sharp barb injected a miniscule amount of jelly like fluid into the body, flooding into the dead cells like a virus, revitalising them, transforming them. Afterwards the alien lay underneath the body, a child in the shadow of his father. Now all that needed to be done was rest and wait for new surrogate parents to come. To force it's seed upon them and die to give it's kin life.

It lay once more in the burning heat of it's growth one final time, growing to full maturity while the first of many were being grown above it. Shedding the cells of the human, the injected substance replaced them with highly aggressive alien DNA. As the organic matter began to dissolve inside the resin shell to encase the first parasite of many was being created. A deadly family was being born.


	7. Chapter 6: The Price of Ambition

"More and more as we head into the future we are seeing technology implemented into every aspect of human life. Communication, labour, maintenance and security to name a few. Not one aspect of human life is absent of technology, we as a species simply cannot survive without it now.

To add a spin to our technological Achilles heel, research now shows that humanity as a whole has become worryingly desensitized to the tragedies of modern human life. War, disaster and tragedy simply do not affect us now the way it used to before we took to the stars, constantly exposed to it on a daily basis through the galactic communication network. death has become a monotony through technology.

The controversial subject of evolutionary enhancement through human augmentation is another aspect of this issue we could explore but I don't think we have enough time to navigate that divisive subject tonight.

On the other end of the spectrum I will add the increasing realism of synthetics or as they are more commonly known 'androids'. I had the chance to speak to and study Benedict Weyland's one of a kind Andrew model last year. Now he is no ordinary synthetic, specially designed with state of the art implants within his CPU that simulate emotion, with this he is closer to being human than any model before him. I know what you are all thinking, a robot that can feel, that's impossible but I swear it's true. I saw him display the entire dynamic of human emotion in our talk, I didn't know whether to find it incredible or terrifying. But every major step in technological evolution has always started with one small, brilliant innovation.

And it looks like my time is up my friends so I will leave you with a questioning thought. If we are becoming more like the machines we create and they in turn are becoming more human, where does that leave us? What does it mean for the future of humanity or indeed the future of living existence itself?"

Thank you everyone for your time tonight."

 _Professor Kevin Hasting speaking at a robotics convention in Tokyo, Japan._

December 24th 1230 Shanghai Facility, Charles Weyland's Personal Quarters.

Every glass surface within the bathroom was thickly clouded with condensation, the air was oppressively hot simulating a sauna more than a bathroom. The steam acted like a filter, making every breath a hard fought effort to get the necessary amount of oxygen. It shrouded his reflection in the mirror and his view of the outside world through the panoramic windows. It was exactly the way he liked it, he was alone and invisible. The world viewed him as a charismatic, charming bachelor who could befriend anyone but he saw himself differently in his isolation.

He wiped away the mist of condensation from the mirror and his façade for the hundredth time and simply stared into himself. It was one of those rare occasions where one inadvertently looked at the shell that their soul inhabited, a fleeting moment of existential perception. Before Charles could grasp the experience it slipped away like a wonderful dream where consciousness drags both the dream and the memory away.

Still he desperately tried to hold onto the feeling, his eyes boring into himself but after a few unblinking moments he gave up. He took a handful of shaving cream into his hands and began to massage it through his fingers. It was in that moment that he was reminded again of the one thing he truly enjoyed in life. Manipulation. His home tutors had taught him that it was the most powerful tool in business and politics. That was all it was to them though, a tool to complete a goal and it was because of that viewpoint that Charles had surpassed his tutors in that skill at a young age. He enjoyed the game, he enjoyed watching the demise of his opponent slowly unfold as a trickle turned into a waterfall. In all competition though when one continues to win every time, the game becomes somewhat stale.

He stood leaning against the sink staring into his light brown eyes through the mirror as he wandered inside his mind. It was a deep maze of memories, thoughts and fantasies, some too dark for even himself at times. Most would recoil upon seeing how Charles' mind works but he had never felt more comfortable exploring it.

With the steam finally dissipating he began to shave his day old stubble but he was driven from this private moment as he heard laughter coming from the bedroom. The sudden noise knocked off his concentration so far that he cut himself in the neck just under the chin. His irritation cut into his calm as the razor parted open a small gap in the skin. Blood slowly dragged itself down his stubbled neck before it was caught by a tissue to be brought back up to the wound. Usually he would let out a curse when he felt the cut but he felt nothing, not the warm water that had caressed his face a minute ago, nor the shaving foam or the razor head gliding over his clean skin.

Such was the effects of the drug Sense. He had taken it before bedding the young woman who was still in the bedroom. It was a drug newly on the market that had slipped through as soon as the compounds to make it were discovered. Customers loved its ability to greatly enhance the human sense of touch, which made it a drug mostly for the enhancement of sex. The reason for its illegality was the two side effects users often experienced, while under the influence any pain experienced would be enhanced too. It made even the slightest injury extremely painful to the individual who took it so corporations never looked into it for a production grant. The other flaw was the comedown; mostly users' bodies would turn completely numb for at least a few hours afterwards which made it a difficult drug to work around the next day.

Charles never noticed until the condensation had dissipated that his skin was partially scalded around the top of his shoulders and back, the skin inflamed in an angry faint red. Burned from the shower he had just taken upon awakening, he was still new to the drug and it's after effects. He wondered why the water had felt so lukewarm when he was washing himself.

As he cleaned the shaving foam away from his face he saw a naked figure loom silently behind him. Her presence was announced by a childish giggle, emanating from a covered smile as she saw his exposed, undressed state. It irritated him all the more but it didn't shame him as he returned to cleaning his face. He took every measure possible to attain his looks, he knew he was always the best looking man in the room. "You should get dressed and leave, your shift was meant to start more than two hours ago." He said coldly.

She walked behind him as she caressed her arms around his waist while looking over his shoulder into his eyes through the mirror. Despite seeing her press herself into him Charles felt nothing, not even the gratitude of receiving this act of affection. "Well I thought that my boss would give me the day off so we could spend more time together." She asked with a wink as she used her hands to try to persuade him further but still he felt nothing. She clearly had no tolerance for the drug and was still under the influence as her hands recoiled upon seeing his limpness at her touch.

He laughed loudly at her foolishness; she was predictably like all the others. Idiots who thought a night with him was a ticket to a profitable relationship. He had claimed his desire and wanted nothing more than to prepare for the day alone, her face to be nothing but a memory to keep him sated until the next. He felt something unfamiliar though, a feeling rose within him, a violent tide that filled his chest and twisted his entitled sense of right and wrong.

Charles turned, taking her wrists in his larger hands with a slight, gentle grip. He began to laugh back as he looked into her eyes with an inviting smiling, tricking her into believing he may have wanted further intimacy with her. "Yes I am your boss but you see erm…" He paused as he tried to remember her name.

She clearly realized his forgetfulness as she responded in an outraged tone. "It's Emma Charles how could you forget! After such a great fuck! God!"

"Sorry it's so easy to forget when you don't have your nametag strapped to your chest." He said casually. Her disgusted shock was silenced for a moment as his grip on her wrists grew ever tighter until she grimaced and let out a shout of pain, still feeling the first phase of the Sense high. Unaccustomed to it's effects his grip felt like a crushing vice, she thought her bones were breaking but held her with the same strength that he would hold a cup of coffee.

Charles still didn't quite know what he felt inside. A disturbing fantasy birthed in his imagination and he felt no guilt or empathy for wanting to pursue it so he decided to enact it. He began to push her into the bedroom, harshly throwing her onto the bed without effort as she shouted in protest and pain. He paused to search her vacant clothes on the floor for a specific item. Afterwards he leapt on top of her, pressing his knees hard into her flailing arms as she gritted her teeth from the pressure. He held her company nametag above her while he visibly unhooked the metal needle from its clasp. The pin looked lethal to the vulnerable, defenseless woman underneath him as she scratched and clawed pointlessly at his bare thighs.

Her screams rose in volume as he lowered himself, placing the needle point lightly on the pale skin just above her left breast. Squeezing a small portion between two of his fingers he rested the needle point on one side. Her soft skin put up a weak, futile resistance against the thin metal but with a slight ounce of pressure Charles sunk it inside. Her scream of pain howled through the room and beyond as he slid it slowly across, inside her skin with a faint smile. The metal was delicately pressing on the inside of her skin ready to exit.

"Shhh." He whispered closely to her face as he pressed down on the skin above the needle head so it would resurface. Her screams lowered into a gritted whimper with tears slowly running down her cheeks as he clipped the bloodied needle into the clasp of the plastic tag. He knew he was being aroused during this careful task but he didn't focus on it, only the unrelenting curiosity to see his fantasy through. Never to repeat the like again.

"There we go now. Emma. Now I remember your name." He said it almost bored without feigning surprise as he raised himself swiftly off the bed. "You're an analyst on the Communications level. Sorry my memory is terrible sometimes for names." He sounded so calm and civil even when she wailed in pain once more as she probed the tag pinned to her bare chest, blood oozing over her pale skin.

He ignored her outcries of suffering as he wandered over to his wardrobe. He dressed himself without acknowledging her presence once more even as she cried for help. His last glance at her was through the mirror as he adjusted his tie and set his hair like any other day in life. While making his way to the door he turned to face her at the last minute. "I will make sure you are well looked after my dear and compensated for your trouble. It's probably best that you keep your time here to yourself, we don't want you hurting yourself again now do we?" He asked kindly.

She shook her head erratically before she attempted fearfully to remove the tag, her shaking fingertips tinted red with blood.

"Wonderful." He said before exiting the room. As he walked through the door the security guard stationed to his room approached him nervously.

"Everything okay in there sir?"

Charles checked his watch before answering. "Could you please take care of the young lady in my quarters. Make it quick though we have a busy day ahead of us and we need all hands on deck."

"Yes sir, don't worry everything will be taken care of." The guard assured.

"Thank you." He finished as he strolled towards the elevator whistling a merry tune. It was set to be a good day for him, for thirty unfortunate death row inmates though they were due to receive their executions earlier and more painfully than they expected.

Anna stood with her brother and father on a raised platform within the main body of the facility surrounded by the derelict's two massive, pronged arms. The arms surrounded the Weylands and the research staff working behind them in it's dark, ethereal embrace. Anna had decided to relinquish her more formal attire for function as she had claimed a security uniform an the accompanying boots to better suit her role assisting Cormack. When Charles arrived shortly after her he wore his uncomfortable smile once more, making her wonder who had suffered to provide it. Her father was the first on site before them though he looked the weakest she had seen him since his return, the horrific wound to his head must have been taking its toll. She had asked if he wanted to get it checked again but he merely shrugged her concern off, more interested in seeing the inside of the alien ship.

The research head for the derelict was Jared Cameron. This was the first time Anna had met the man and was slightly relieved to hear that he wasn't a Metatologist. His interest in this project was purely scientific. For a small man though he was shockingly loud as he barked orders to his team to spark them into action when they had arrived. He was making final preparations to show the Weylands the interior of the ship as it was now close to fully explored and besides the cargo bay it was considered safe.

The only equipment he handed out to them though were high powered flashlights, Anna's expression when handed hers was clearly that she expected more. "You sure it's safe in there, we won't need masks or air units?"

"Don't worry Miss Weyland we scan the air inside the ship hourly it's perfectly safe of any airborne pathogen and the ship's surfaces are a composite metal I've never seen before. Where we're going it's perfectly safe."

They entered the Derelict through one of three entryways positioned in the center of the ship. Anna gazed at the opening before following the others inside and she couldn't shake the feeling that they were walking into the womb of an alien mother. Her titanic legs spread open and ready to disperse her deadly seed on any poor souls foolish enough to approach her. Once inside the corridors they began walking through were disturbing in their organic construction. The walls were structured completely with some kind of blackened bones, supporting the corridors with the ribs of this giant beast. They felt sticky to the touch as Anna's hands came away with a thick, slimy substance that she tried desperately to rub off on her trousers but a sickly chemical smell stayed formed to her fingers.

"Smells horrible when you touch it don't it? We sent a sample to the lab for analysis but they couldn't place a substance on it so far. Same with whatever the ship is made of but it's early days yet." Cameron said as he knocked on the wall hard, no sound came from the strikes but their very breaths seemed to echo through the ship. If anything dangerous were still on the ship, it would no doubt be aware of their location down to the last meter just from their vital intake of oxygen. Anna felt like the walls were threatening to close around her the further they walked; every dark corridor looked similar in its grotesque abnormality.

They finally emerged from the darkness into a massive chamber brightened by artificial lights left by Cameron's team. The room was more like a cathedral with its immense height, the walls sharing the unsettling organic design as the rest of the ship. What resided in the center of the room though, positioned above a raised circular platform was the alien creature that never failed to shock any of the staff who had laid eyes upon it for the first time.

The fossilized carcass that lay strapped to the turret-shaped device appeared more ancient than time. It seemed humanoid in shape but that's where the similarities to a human being ended. Apart from Cameron everyone including Charles stood agape staring at the dead alien. As much as Anna disapproved of this facility and everything involved she couldn't help but marvel at the majesty of the sight before her. She knew she would remember this sight for the rest of her days no matter how hard she tried to forget it. Never before had she felt so small and insignificant, the massive expanse of space already explored was only a minute percentage of what lay in the darkness. Humanity's evolution in space travel and technology seemed so young and immature compared to the race that this being belong to who had accomplished so much so long ago.

"We decided to call it the Pilot. Something else isn't it?" Cameron commented knowing they were all still stunned to silence. He couldn't blame them, two staff members nearly went into shock when they first explored the ship.

"It's incredible." Benedict gasped. "Can we take a closer look Doctor?"

"Of course sir, just be careful around the cordoned area around behind the platform because there's a hole in the floor. It's a long drop before you hit the floor in the cargo bay." He warned, the last thing he needed was a dead Weyland on his watch.

"Cargo bay?" Anna asked as they walked up a metal staircase installed into the side of the platform. What many didn't know though was that the engineer who installed the stairs went through a handful of tungsten carbide drill heads to penetrate the ship's unknown alloy.

"Yeah it's where all the eggs are, makes up the bulk of the ship but it's off limits."

"I want to see it." Charles said, his eyes never leaving the pilot fossil.

"I'm sorry sir but I can't let you down there."

"But you have been down there as well as other staff so it must be safe. Father you haven't seen it yet either so why not?" He looked towards Benedict.

"Very well. When your done showing us the upper level Jared take us below." Benedict ordered despite the looks of protest from Anna and Cameron.

"Yes sir but only if you listen to my instruction carefully." Jared didn't like it but he couldn't defy his employer.

"Great" Anna answered, her voice filled with bleak sarcasm as the climbed the stairs to study the fossil further.

Upon first inspection of the Pilot it appeared to have been grown out of the chair it resided in. It's massive upper torso was only visible as it's back and waist melded into the biomechanical chair. The skull had an over developed cranium area to contain the brain. The holes where it's eyes once laid looking directly into a panel connected to the enormous cannon device attached to it's biomechanical throne. Even empty the eye sockets carried an unsettling character. Begging the question of what those orbs had seen in the Pilot's lifetime.

Without thought Anna laid her small hand on the pilot's enlarged ribs, running it along them her heart stopped as she saw a gaping hole near the center of the chest. "Did you notice this Doctor?"

He came around with Charles and Benedict who he had been talking to on the other side of the Pilot to see what she meant. "Yeah pretty large wound, we could only assume this is what killed it, probably why the ship crashed on LV-426. We can't figure out though what caused it; apart from the eggs we found there are no other life forms on the ship."

"You haven't been reading the reports from the Bio labs have you Cameron?" Charles asked inconsequentially.

"Sorry sir I haven't had the time, been too busy with trying to create an outer access to the cargo bay." He said with his arm pointed below them. "Dr Monroe couldn't stress enough how everyone should stay away from those eggs. I have had to use damn near every non-essential android in the facility to handle them and get through the crack on the left side of the ship." He paused grimacing as he rubbed his brow; clearly he hadn't been getting enough sleep. "No offence sir but it's been an absolute pain in the ass to organize this and meet deadlines."

Ben laid his hand on Cameron's shoulder looking at him sympathetically. "Doctor I can't thank you enough for your hard work and dedication. I'll make sure your bonus is raised on completion of this…" He slurred his last word as he leaned his full weight on Cameron for the briefest of seconds before righting himself again. Cameron caught him swiftly though as Anna rushed forward while Charles watched.

"Father what's wrong? Is it your head?" She panicked. "We should get you some rest and checked out."

He threw off her arm and concerns as he always did. "I'm fine!" He growled as she backed away hurt from his anger. "I'm sorry dear but I did not get this ship here just to let a bang to the head stop me from witnessing all this. Now doctor lead us down to the cargo bay."

Cameron hesitantly rubbed at his jaw while leaning against the Pilot like it was just another desk in the workplace. "Sir I still don't think that's a good idea, I've only got droids down there right now because I didn't like my guys getting too close to the eggs when we first explored."

"Just get us down there!" He barked, his temper began to reveal itself which was unlike Benedict. Anna always knew her father to be in control of the anger inside him but the cracks of his weakness began to reveal themselves today.

"But sir there is something else on this level you should see, I believe above all else it is the hidden gem of this find. In our exploration of the ship we may have found the core." He pleaded for them to follow as he headed towards one of many identical tunnels in this carcass of a ship.

After a few minutes of walking through one of the arteries that connected through the ship they were close to entering into a new room, a boiler room. That's what Anna called it in her mind as the sweat began dripping from her hair from the intense heat that emanated from the center of the ship. Before they entered the room though she noticed Cameron looking extremely perplexed and worried as the entered.

"Somethings not right, the temperature was never this high on the routine checks. Wait can you hear that?" He said stopping the three before they ventured further, raising his head towards the walls to try and define the sound. A deep rhythmic beat travelled along the skeleton of the ship, gradually growing louder and louder. Reluctantly Anna pressed her hand again on the slime covered wall to feel the vibration, it grew stronger as they progressed.

"We will keep going but please don't touch anything." Cameron announced worryingly, whatever it was it was new to him which couldn't be good though the team confirmed that apart from the pilot and the eggs the ship was deserted.

Anna's thoughts then turned to the alien that had obviously been birthed from the pilot, even though this ship had crashed eons ago she couldn't help but imagine something monstrous stalking the halls… stalking them.

Emerging into the room the rigged stationary lights and their flashlights fluttered continuously, making seeing the interior more than difficult. The beat they had followed became a slow thunderous drumming, filling their skulls close to the point where they were becoming nauseous. Benedict was clearly suffering more than the rest of them so Anna wanted him out of here first before the rest of them.

"Cameron whatever that sound is coming from it's clearly hurting my father, we need to leave!" Although the sound wasn't overbearing she still felt as though she needed to shout for her voice to carry over the pressure.

"I know just give me a minute I need to see what it is… Oh my god!" His voice trailed away after that as his flashlight flickered on what could only be described as literally the living, beating heart of the ship.

Though visibility was poor Anna could see a massive dark orb expanding and contracting with the beat, creating the thundering sound. Its exterior appeared like old, darkened leather, clearly being lubricated by the same substance that covered the halls. Organic tubes connected the core to the rest of the ship, fueling it with an unknown substance.

"Something must have reactivated it, possibly being introduced into our atmosphere. Surely it must have been active then when the atmosphere processor on Acheron went live though. I'm honestly not sure." Cameron confessed, clearly as bewildered as the others.

Anna couldn't blame Cameron for his confusion, he was one of the best ship engineers money could buy but he had only ever dealt with human technology; electricity and steel. A ship made with what looked like bones, it's core a literal beating heart was more than a nightmare it was an impossibility for human comprehension.

"Whatever it is your team can handle it, my father cant so let's just get out of here." Anna said while constantly looking over to Ben.

"I have to agree with my daughter Doctor, whatever it is the sound is making my head worse. Just show us the cargo chamber so we may leave and let you and your team continue with their work." Ben said, pain visibly stretching across his strained face.

Afterwards they left to continue back to the pilot's chamber, the sound of the core diminished thankfully but it never fully left them. Cameron tried on several attempts to contact the facility outside but the core's activation scrambled any radio communications.

The entrance to the shaft beside the pilot had obviously been caused by an extremely corrosive substance as it melted all the way through the tough alloy creating a black pit to the bay below. Anna remembered from the Nostromo report she had read earlier that Lt Ripley and the science officer confirmed the alien's blood was a highly concentrated form of molecular acid. Another bad sign to accompany countless more.

The alien was turning out to be so deadly already even though she had only seen it as an infant. Doctor Monroe demanded to see them after they had finished on the derelict. He had said there had been some interesting developments while they slept involving the alien contained below them. She dreaded the surprises that monster had in store more than anything.

Cameron, Benedict and Anna were making their way out the room to exit the ship but Charles remained beside the pit staring down. Cameron noticed quickly. "Sir we have to enter the cargo bay through the tear in the hull."

"There's a perfectly good rappel winch here though." He spoke as he strapped the harness around himself. "Anna, Father." Strapped in he floated above the pit. "Why don't we make the tour a little more exciting." As soon as he spoke and before Cameron could protest Charles lowered himself down into the dark.

"Jesus. Sir I can't let him go down alone and I can't leave you two." Cameron looked like he was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

"I know. I'll go down next." Benedict spoke without a trace of apprehension.

"You ever hear that phrase if someone jumped off a bridge would you do it too." Anna reluctantly followed them towards the pit waiting for the winch to raise back up.

Her father went next and she could see that Cameron was making sure he was strapped in tight before letting him go down. A minute later and now it was Anna's turn, no doubt Charles would enjoy watching her discomfort as she went down. She was terrified of heights but she wouldn't dare give him the satisfaction of refusing to do it. When she and Cameron were alone they both shared a disapproving look as he strapped her in.

"I'm sorry I know you don't like this." She winced as Cameron tightened the last strap harshly.

"Not liking it is an understatement Miss Weyland. No matter what don't lose your footing."

She nodded as she lowered herself down slowly. On her descent into the belly of the beast all she could see was the marred walls of the shaft. The acid had melted the metal to the point of liquid before it's effect dissipated and hardened. As she reached the roof of the cargo bay the melted alloy became shaped like stalagmites. The metal dripping black tears as her eyes filled with the awesome sight of the derelict's deadly organic payload.

Cameron was right when he said the majority of the ship was reserved for the cargo. It was as if the ship was just a shell for this titanic chamber. Thousands of the eggs could be seen, lying under a hazy blue curtain of advanced stasis. Lights placed all around the area illuminated the horror even more as she watched the androids working among them.

The eggs were separated into segments by the ship's bizarre design. Some of the androids congregated into one area as they worked tirelessly without distraction. Each one delicately forming protective metal cylinders around the seeds of destruction, from a quick count Anna could only guess that nearly thirty were shelled and protected. No doubt for the flight of unfortunate prisoners due later in the day, she honestly felt for those people no matter what crimes they had committed. Used as cattle to birth horrific monsters, no one should have to die like that.

As her feet finally hit the ground, much to her relief, she hadn't realized it until now how unbearably hot it felt down here. The air felt thick and suffocating with the humidity inside the chamber, an apparitional pressure gliding around her body ready to tighten when the slightest weakness was shown. She disengaged the winch and stepped carefully towards her father who was gazing not at the eggs but the chamber around them, clearly he was taken aback by the perverse majesty of this vessel.

"You okay Father?" She asked as she stood beside him, still careful of her step. One slip would mean falling beneath the hazy sapphire stasis field, awakening the dormant parasites nested around them.

He turned to her, smiling. The sight would have made Anna rejoice had it not been for the murderous requirements for this endeavor; she wouldn't watch the prisoners be impregnated later. If she did she may as well be the executioner, she just had to look after herself and Cormack.

"I'm… relieved Anna." He laughed heartily. "So much has been lost trying to discover and research this ship and the creatures within. I truly never thought I would live to see something so magnificent in my time." He did then the truly unexpected, years of stern, distant parenting vanished in an instant. He wrapped both of his arms around his children and drew them closer. Anna felt more than awkward from the random outburst of unrecognizable love. She took comfort though in watching Charles face as his façade shattered for that moment. He looked just as vulnerable as she felt, those feelings washed away instantly. This was just an overreaction, a fluke. Charles was still the enemy, her father the distant referee, this facility was a battlefield and if you let your guard down in the battlefield you died.

The siblings drew away simultaneously from Benedict who was still unaware of the severity of their conflict. Even still he couldn't be made disappointed or miserable anymore; he did what his father never could for him. He secured his children's future. "This is exactly what we needed you two, with the technology and specimens from this ship, the company will be swimming in profits long after I am gone. For the both of you this is my gift." His last words drifted solemnly through Anna's heart plucking strings long abandoned. Cameron joined them from above and for a few minutes they stood in silence gazing at their prize.

"Your still gonna be with us for years to come though Father." Anna said smiling hopefully wishing the words mentally inside.

He rubbed the bandage covering his ear tenderly. "Regardless you are both ready to assume command of the board but you both need to…"

"What the hell…" Benedict's words were cut off by Cameron who was inspecting something away from them facing the massive skeletal wall.

"What is it doctor?" Benedict said as the three moved to join him.

He faced an eroded gap within the wall; the lining of the opening was marred with the same burns as the hole they had descended from. The height though allowed someone to walk through with little effort. Whatever made it was a lot bigger than what created the roof access. "I never saw this on the first walkthrough but then again we didn't have all the lights on yet yesterday. Stand back I'm going to take a look inside."

He waved them back with no effect as he activated his flash light and ventured within, he disappeared from view swiftly as the darkness swallowed him. An unbearable minute of silence followed as the trio waited hesitantly until Cameron emerged, sustained fright stretching across his face. "You are not going to believe what is in there." He shouted to one of the androids working in the egg bay.

"What is it? Another fossil like the one above?" Charles asked his anticipation showing in his rushed words. A child at Christmas waiting to find out what the mystery gift is.

"It's a fossil yes but nothing like the one above. C'mon number eight get up here." He motioned towards one of the modified working Joes who walked towards them casually. "No wonder Seegson sold you so cheap, useless fucking Joe."

"Yes sir, what may I assist you with today?" The android uttered coldly with an ancient, emotionless speech drive. Clearly inferior to androids manufactured by Weyland Yutani. The Working Joes were bought from the now defunct Seegson Corporation as low maintenance menial labor, much stronger than the average human without the need to feed or pay.

Seegson's failure to compete with modern robotics showed as the android struggled to navigate the uneven tunnel as it followed Cameron back into the darkness. A moment later the inhuman white eyes glowed from the darkness as the Working Joe emerged carrying an immense bone. Cameron followed behind carrying the other side it became clear this was no mere bone as they revealed it to the trio.

It was an elongated skull, so long it would match the average height of a human and the top of it was ridged not unlike the walls that surrounded them. As their eyes scanned the length of the gargantuan skull they focused on what appeared to be the face of the ancient creature, or what at least could be called a face. Two enlarged eye sockets burned their long dead gaze into Anna as she laid a hand on the calcified bone, merely touching it felt horrifying to her as she looked upon the jaws, lined with sharp canines longer than her fingers.

Realization struck them all as Charles stated the thought they all shared. "The alien that the prisoner gave birth to?"

"It looks similar but the report from the Nostromo incident claimed the creature aboard that ship only reached eight feet once grown." Benedict corrected.

Cameron and the android lowered the skull slowly onto the hard floor. "Well from the look of the skeleton back in there I'd say this thing must have been a good deal bigger than that."

"Must've come out of our pilot friend upstairs." Anna said with a shield of sarcasm, a terrified and lonely girl hiding behind the barrier, staring at the long dead monster before her.

Her isolated fear, coupled with the amazement of discovery felt by everyone created a blinding of sorts. Everyone was caught up with their emotions so much so that they failed to notice Benedict step backwards and trip over Charles' foot. His body toppled to the side falling downwards into the sea of eggs beside them. Anna's first inclination to the incident was the Working Joe's pale glowing eyes following her father down.

Before any of them could react he was already underneath the stasis field. His body a torrent of roaring pain, his vision when it came to was blurred, only dark spheres were visible below the blue surface. As he became aware where he lay a frozen panic brushed through him chilling his heart and mind into a bleak and hopeless picture of finality.

Anna nearly threw herself aimlessly to reach him if it wasn't for Charles grabbing her with both arms, constricting her aimless scream towards her father. She scratched and pulled to try for release but only for him to hold tighter.

"Don't be stupid Anna! You're not going down there okay! Cameron use the droids, get him out of there!" He shouted over her screams. She became limp after a few moments, realizing there was no way to participate in this living hell, only spectate. Her vision watered as tears streamed down her cheeks, her teary eyes blurring this nightmare's clarity. He held her like he had all those years ago but instead they both felt in unison, not his sick perverse pleasure but a helpless fear watching their last parent in mortal danger.

Benedict's vision began to clear. He could see the dark, foreboding silhouettes of the alien eggs, standing high above his fallen body, obelisks of forthcoming doom. Thankfully no movement emanated from the frozen orbs, he lay deathly still, unwilling to move in the event he awoke one of the parasites from their ancient slumber. One of the outdated synthetics began to walk towards him, it's poor mobility programming ceasing any thought of stealth as he marched past the eggs without caution. It's steps were the only sound heard apart from his daughter's fearful whimpers and his own panicked breathing.

It stood above him staring into him with those lifeless artificial white eyes, without moving the pointless lips the machine uttered. "Would you like me to assist you sir?"

"Yes." Ben whispered, his eyes darted to movement from an egg residing a few steps from the android's side as the petal lips peeled away, releasing steaming vapors of heat into the stasis field. His racing heart shifted into overdrive as a pale skeletal digit emerged out from the mouth of hell.

"Please get me out of here!" He pleaded above the commotion above him as the others saw the parasite emerging.

The Working Joe crouched awkwardly leaning towards Ben with no sense of urgency, how could it know? The walking computer was not truly intelligent only an advanced calculator, programmed to respond to a certain number of equations. Saving a life was not filed in its main directives nor was discretion.

"Please repeat the query sir a Working Joe is always here to help." The android played the appropriate response above screams from above. Ben didn't hear them though; he was trying to raise himself up, his body not responding to his panicked, injured brain. The parasite crawled out of the opening, it's legs moving with a faceless purpose towards it's victim. He was paralyzed as it scuttled up his legs, his body frozen in fear, he couldn't breathe as the parasite leapt to claim its life's purpose.

His last sight was of the illuminated, dead eyes before the world became black. A decadent rotting smell filled his nostrils as he breathed oxygen one last time. Before an unnatural hand gripped his skull so tightly his head wound flared alive with fresh agony. His scream was cut off as a rope was wrapped around his neck, the slick warm noose tightening. He fell unconscious quickly but not before the final attack as something pushed his mouth open, the wet pharynx sliding it's vile body down his throat to begin its impregnation.

He choked into a forced slumber as Anna's cries carried through the massive chamber. Charles was silent, his mind calculating many things while a disturbing thought kept re-emerging, soon he and Anna would be receiving a new half sibling. It didn't horrify him but only intrigued him.

It had taken nearly twenty minutes to move the incapacitated Benedict from the bowels of the Derelict to the medical bay where Doctor Monroe was standing by. Anna had been hysterical ever since it happened while Charles stayed at her side, silent but clearly affected by this disaster.

Monroe had initially ordered Anna to be removed from the room due to her 'distracting behavior'. Charles though in a surprising turn of character told him she was staying as he held her, silencing her cries into his chest. After a while Anna regained her composure as Monroe approached them both after examining their father.

"As you are both aware the parasite is providing him oxygen as well as delivering the payload down his throat." Anna held her face in her hands sobbing as she heard the brutal details.

"We now only have one option to save him but I need your approval. Both of yours."

"Out with it Monroe! Anything as long as you can save him" Charles barked

"It's not full proof…" He uttered nervously. "…but I think when the parasite detaches itself we should operate immediately to remove the embryo before it grows. I don't know what's going to happen when I get in there but I believe it's our best chance of success."

'Get in there' the words cycled over and over in Anna's head to form a horrible image; Monroe's hands inside her father's chest covered in his blood holding the murderous offspring inside him. What if he should accidentally cut it, spilling its acidic blood among his organs, devouring him from the inside?

She sat gazing upon the hideous arachnid slowly violating her father. Its bonny, pale fingers gripping hard on his skull, the bandage around his ear tainted crimson as pressure inflamed the wound. The tail wrapped around his neck to shape a living noose making sure it could never be removed forcefully from its victim of rape. Sense overcame her battered emotions as she thought with clarity and not despair

Better than to watch it drain his life away before her very eyes, watching her unwanted sibling burst out of his chest. She looked up at Monroe with an angered determination burning through her. Her make up washed away with her sadness, dripping black tears as her weakness melted away with them. "Do it." She ordered.

"Very well I shall organize the surgery team." As Monroe exited the room Charles quickly followed. Anna didn't though, she wasn't leaving her father with the monster, she knew too much of that feeling.

She couldn't tell how much time had passed when the door to the room slid open quietly. She refused to look only to hear them stepping closer, she felt a hand land on her shoulder, the grip cold and rigid. She didn't need to look to identify who it was. "What are you doing here Andrew, there is nothing you can do for him. Your too late." She uttered with a heavy heart to her father's personal synthetic aide.

Designed by Benedict himself, Andrew was the pinnacle of robotics. Specialized in every aspect required by his creator he was his doctor, secretary, adviser and in Anna's opinion; her fathers favored creation in life.

He gazed upon his master with a humanly concerned expression. "I came as quickly as was possible when I was informed Annabelle. I assume they will operate so I will lead the procedure. We can't have any chance of human fault, too much is at stake." He continued to stare at Ben silently with Anna. "I don't understand it but I feel… damaged, why is that?" He asked sounding like a lost child.

"Your worried."

"Strange, I know that I am only a machine but he told me things, things I know he has only told me alone. He trusted me I believe, it made me feel unique."

This confession shocked Anna into curiosity, she realized that this synthetic might not just an aide but a cupboard her father used to store an army of skeletons. "What things Andrew?" She gently took his cold hands and seated him next to her. "Don't worry brother you can tell me."

He smiled genuinely at her, taking both her hands, rubbing them he said; "Thank you for calling me that Annabelle but I am merely a machine, a tool to humans. Charles is your true brother…"

"By blood only Andrew."

He diverted the conversation in an unexpected direction. "I understand that father's situation is due to the failure of one of the Seegson androids. I am also aware that Charles ordered it destroyed."

Anna felt his grip grow ever tighter; she couldn't help but feel like she was being accused. "Yes but why should it matter right now?"

He merely stared into her. "You humans are a peculiar species, you created my kind to serve you and at times save you but when we fail, you dispose of us like waste without any thought."

"But androids can't feel Andrew. You can but you are unique."

"That Working Joe was designed inferior yes but it's truly no different from me, I am merely fortunate. It wasn't designed to be a rescuer but when he failed that task your kind had it destroyed. Imagine if the tables were turned, I had ordered a human to complete the task but they were unable due to a disability and I killed them because they were of no use."

Anna was unsettled and taken aback by such a response. She didn't feel like she was talking to an android but something more and more human but dangerously intelligent. "I had never thought about it that way Andrew… I'm so sorry."

"Your kind never do Annabelle but you are not to blame." He stared at the violated form of Benedict lying on the gurney motionless apart from the parasite tightening its tail around his neck. "He must live… he has unfinished business with you two. The matter of succession in the event of the worst must be addressed, your brother cannot be left in command."

"You must have your facts wrong Andrew, Charles is father's ideal successor he's smart, calculating, favored…"

"…Manipulating, dangerous and mentally unhinged." The android cut in.

She couldn't believe what she was hearing, her confusion clearly showed.

"I have access to all of your family's medical records, I still don't know why father favored him over you though clearly you're the better candidate. I read the transcripts of Charles' heavily encrypted sessions with a psychiatrist. Who I will add mysteriously disappeared after he failed to address the issue. I also know they involuntarily blame you for what happened all those years ago and how you blame yourself too but you are the innocent."

She felt naked, exposed; the torment of her family's great divide laid bare so clearly like it wasn't the families most guarded tragedy. Trapped in the headlights of revelation she panicked and fled outside to the main hangar, too many locked memories were opening. She needed away from Andrew, from the resurfacing past.

It wasn't fresh air but thankfully there was nobody close enough to sense her distress. Her attempts to process the tidal wave of confusion and pain were halted as the announcement of the lower sub level doors opening blared throughout the facility. Instinctively she looked in the distance to see Charles and one of the security staff enter and disappear from sight as the thick doors shut behind them. Questions began to arise but she pushed them away, her mind too busy with memories and the talk of succession. She didn't want a corporate battle for power with Charles because in the end he would win no matter who would have to die.

Private Mendez didn't really know what to expect right at that moment as he followed Charles Weyland across the main floor. He was sure he was going to lose his job after the insulting incident at the security checkpoint yesterday. His boss had a reputation around the staff as having a Jekyll and Hyde persona but Charles hadn't bothered this time. Maybe he was too focused on this project or on the terrible news of his father.

Either way Charles said he needed his help and Mendez wouldn't let anything get in his way. For all he knew this task could help fast track him to a promotion, anything was better than being the damn door guard. His friend Dillon was assigned to guard the prisoners coming in on a shuttle, word was Ozra Dean was one of them. Mendez envied him on having such a responsibility.

The news of Benedict Weyland's fate spread through the facility like the plague, turning what should have been an exciting day of discovery to one of bleak sorrow. Mendez saw him being carted across the facility on a gurney, his prize wrapped around his face. He could tell Charles was affected by this, his usually confident demeanor was visibly strained as he powerwalked to the enclosure lift. Mendez in his armor and pulse rifle struggled to keep up with him in a slow jog, he truly didn't know what to think of the situation.

He had to say something though because before he knew it they were both in the massive elevator alone, slowly descending in silence. "Sir I'm sorry to hear about your father… I can't imagine what you're going through right now. I want you to know though everyone here is here for you and your sister whenever you need us, for anything." He was right he couldn't imagine, his father was no better than a ghost; dead and transparent but the sentiment of the statement was true all the more.

"Thank you and trust me you will be helping Private." He said without turning to look at him. After a moment though he turned to look at the pulse rifle slung around Mendez' shoulder. "Are you proficient with that weapon?"

The question knocked him off guard. "Erm I don't want to be cocky but I earned several commendations during my service in the Corps, why sir?"

"Just curious, ever fired it in combat?"

Mendez didn't like the direction the conversation was heading but answered truthfully anyway. "Twice, once against the Uni's on Nether and the other time when my ship was boarded by marauders."

"Is it true what they say about the marauders?"

"Most of it, from the ones I saw anyway. Their weapons are crude but damn brutal, when we engaged them they threw a nail bomb at our smartgunner because she was shredding them. She went down bloody, covered in rusty nails. We were all lucky it didn't pop the hull.

Charles was surprised by the brutal honesty of the details. "My word, did you kill any of them yourself?"

"Two confirmed, they didn't have armour so when I hit them with ten millimeter explosive rounds their chests exploded like watermelons."

"Is that so? Good to know." Charles finished as the cargo lift door opened and they exited into a large hallway. Sets of four active sentry turrets were placed at intervals along the length of the wide tunnel. Their electronic motors silently whining as they trained their sights downrange.

Mendez physically showed his concern by holding Charles back, instinctively backing them both away slowly.

"Don't worry Private they are controlled from upstairs in a case of emergency, thank you for the concern though. More and more I'm seeing you were the right man to pick for this task." He said walking forward confidently while Mendez followed.

"Picked for what sir if you don't mind me asking?"

"You realize one of the alien specimens is secured on this level?" Charles asked casually as they walked onward.

"Yes sir." He could have guessed without knowing from the claustrophobic killzone they were currently marching through. The sentries didn't make him feel any better though. Adrenaline slowly dripping into his bloodstream as he moved ever closer to danger.

"I need you and your skills for an experiment, a test run if you will before we create more specimens. A test of the creature's resilience to gunfire." Charles uneasiness growing within the young soldier but he was also concentrating on masking his anticipation. "Nothing to worry about my friend, it will be secured for safety purposes."

The killzone ended at what was clearly a blast door, designed to handle severe punishment from explosives and other forces. The door's motors audibly groaned as they lifted the solid steel upwards revealing an armory and observation room. One wall was pasted over with various gun racks containing a small arsenal while the rest of the room was filled with lit monitors and a holotable. One corner though was completely closed off creating a smaller space, across the door was a hastily bold written note saying; 'FOR HORROR MOVIE LOVERS ONLY!'

Eight People could be seen working busily on their respective computers while another four were clearly security. Appearing to laze around they were still armed to the teeth; two armed with pulse rifles equipped with bulky drum magazines while the other two sat resting smartguns on their harnesses.

Everyone stood to attention as Charles entered with Mendez in tow, the security staff breaking salutes as if he were a general.

"Enough with the formalities people it's time for work." Charles sniggered motioning them down with his arms. "Everything ready for a field test?"

One of the technicians threw his arms up in protest. "No chance sir! Damn thing knocked out all the lights last night on Spencer's watch, we can't even detect it on thermals either."

This news only seemed to highlight Charles' good mood. "Impressive but it still needs a seal of approval before we start producing more." He looked towards the soldiers with a flick of his head and a wink in Mendez' direction.

Good soldiers always listened to their general; they pounced instantly on the unsuspecting Private, locking his arms in place with little effort while the smartgunners trained their weapons on him.

"Open the airlock men and escort Private Mendez inside the enclosure."

"What the fuck!" Mendez shouted while twisting and straining against his captors. "Please I'm fucking sorry okay, I'm sorry for what I said yesterday just please let me go."

Charles stepped in close to Mendez, face to face and eye to eye. "Let this be a test of your skills too Private. If you manage to kill the specimen this will be forgotten and you will receive a promotion. If you don't well you can die at least knowing you helped further the cause of science."

In a flash of movement Mendez threw his head forward, connecting with Charles' nose with a sickening crack. Immediately afterwards he spat on the man, landing saliva directly on the expensive suit Charles wore. Charles backed away while holding his broken nose, trying desperately to stem the gushing blood. One of the guards holding Mendez sent an elbow hammering into his skull, forcing him on his knees. Despite the pain, the concussion and the horrifying unknown of the future he climbed upwards to reveal a bloodied smile.

"Hope that hurts you spoiled son of a bitch!" He roared.

Charles charged forward sending a hook crashing against the Private's jaw. "That's for the nose…" Another heavy strike followed, blood spraying onto the floor along with a tooth. "…and that's for insulting my mother!" He pulled Mendez' pulse rifle away, tossing it onto the floor. "Give him a pistol and get him in there now!"

The security wrestled him into the now open airlock, both smartgunners stood ready, training their sights on the still-closed entrance into the enclosure. Once shut the door ahead of them rose until complete darkness was revealed, no light could be seen apart from the one above the door. Its futile illumination only showed a few feet in front of them.

"Picking it up, one hundred and thirty meters at our twelve o'clock. Fuck me its fast, toss him and let's go!" One of the smartgunners barked out.

They threw Mendez heavily on the floor and tossed a pistol beside him, his concussion battered more by the impact. Before he could climb back up the door behind was already shut, locking him from safety and hope. Slowly he brought himself up, his heart racing as his vision darted back and forth in different directions seeing only pitch black. Through the climbing fear though his training kicked in. Checking the magazine of his pistol he realized it was full; he activated the weapon's flashlight and laser sight, training the weapon into the abyss, the laser disappearing into the invisible distance.

The light behind him disappeared leaving him in a suffocating terror, his only source of light held in his shaking hands. The concussion began to take his toll on his body as a faint drowsiness overcame him while he walked forward. This weakness evaporated instantly though when a deep haunting hiss echo through the enclosure sinking into Mendez's skin, freezing his blood.

Swinging the light back and forward he could faintly see thick columns in the distance, something to help orientate himself in this blind maze. On one pass of the light though it glanced across a glinting set of teeth belonging to something clearly much bigger than him and before Mendez's brain could process it the image it was gone.

His heart began to hammer inside his chest as he could hear the monster charge towards him.


	8. Chapter 7: Meet The Monster

_"_ _For god sake Cormack of all the women you could fall for why the hell did it have to be her?"_

 _"_ _She was the only one who sees me for who I am Kellan. Not what I've done."_

 _"_ _That's called infatuation you dumb English prick."_

 _"_ _I don't care what it is, all I know is when I'm with her... all the hate. All the anger in me goes away."_

 _"_ _Nothing will come of it man! She's going to toss you aside when she's had her fun."_

 _"_ _Anna's not like that. She's nothing like what people make her out to be. She saw everything ugly in me and didn't run."_

 _"_ _She'll be the death of you brother."_

 _"_ _I don't care. Because of her I can finally live with myself."_

 _Cormack discussing his feelings about Annabelle Weyland to his second in command Kellan before their deployment to the Shanghai Facility._

December 24th 1500 Shanghai Facility, the Enclosure

Darkness engulfed the enclosure leaving no single space illuminated, a tomb for whoever entered the alien creature's blinding, foreboding lair. Not simply an absence of light but an oppressive atmosphere like no other as Mendez wandered through it with hesitant steps. The clinging dark made breathing near impossible as tension replaced oxygen. Death itself laying his cold skeletal hand upon his back, sending the cold shiver of doom through to the private's heart. The dark angel faded away to observe as his ancient servant powered towards Mendez's back from the darkness.

As soon as he aimed his light in the direction of the oncoming creature he could see nothing and more importantly hear nothing, it had simply disappeared. He fought for control over his unbearable fear, his entire body trembling with it, his pistol shaking uncontrollably in his sweating palms. The laser sight darted without precision into the unknown, his aim painting towards imaginary targets in the faintly visible distance at the edge of his light.

His stricken mind only held comfort in what Charles had said before he had condemned Mendez to this hell. If he killed the specimen and he would live, he didn't care for what came after though only surviving. It was easier said than done though when he couldn't see anything in this pit and he only held a pistol now thanks to his attack on Charles Weyland.

He walked at a snail's pace through the enclosure, every step silenced so as to hear any signs of the alien approaching, his sight was hindered but this only helped to heighten his other senses. He checked all angles around him with his light. Repeating it in a steady cycle to help his bearings and his wavering courage. Distance travelled could only be recognized by the giant pillars that stretched across the length of the massive enclosure, holding the weight of the sea above him, a thankful anchor among the black abyss.

He wasn't to know though that the cycle only served to heighten the alien's deadly curiosity as it stood mesmerized in the distance watching the spinning lightshow. It watched its prey ever since the others had left it alone within its domain, only attempting to show itself once. Other times it crawled across the roof resting mere feet from the potential host's head. His movements intrigued it so it held back the desperate urge to drop down upon him, ripping the soft, pale flesh apart with its claws and to sink tooth and tail deep into him. This one though had to be taken alive to be the surrogate for the courier growing from it's former womb. It wouldn't fail in this task. It was curious to watch the intruder's actions; it had never seen a live one before only the dead womb from whence it came. It sensed danger from the figure but only of warning and not retreat. So it inched forward patiently watching for when Mendez had his back turned towards it, watching his rotational cycle, learning the routine and when he stood vulnerable the alien rushed forward.

Swiftly Mendez heard a scuttling movement come at him from behind, instantly spinning on his heel to take aim. No sooner than his light reached the origin of the sound he saw the end of a skeletal, barbed tail shoot towards the roof to climb straight over him, the creature slipped away into the distance behind him once more without further sight. Fighting the thundering drumbeat in his chest and throat he slowly headed into that direction.

Silence and solitude dominated for the next few moments, his mind was a tumult; the concussion along with the fear creating imaginary sights of something swiftly moving in the distance of his light's reach. His frustration arose to fight these two siblings of perceived insanity and his pace quickened. He knew he wasn't hidden, that this thing was watching him from the safety of the darkness so he discarded discretion, it was useless in this fight.

He only wished he could discard the terror he felt as easily as a long, haunting hiss crawled across every surface towards him. A creeping, growing sheet of ice that crept up his legs to close in on his heart, gripping it with a tight fist. The icy fear though was met with a heart boiling with the shield of rage.

"Come on then you son of a bitch! I aint got all day!" he shouted as he discharged one round downrange, the sound deafening among the silence, the muzzle flash creating a brief flash of comforting, encompassing illumination. The sound echoed through the enclosure only to be answered with haunting silence as no reaction came from the creature.

Moving aggressively forward a disgusting scent became apparent as it drifted to fill his nostrils; a scent of rotting meat and eggs. His erratic breathing only helped in making the sick aroma cling to the back of his throat, filling his mouth with an unbearable taste. Mendez stopped in his tracks for a moment; forcing bile back down his throat as he fought the urge to vomit for such an action would leave him vulnerable to attack. The further forward he walked the more revolting the scent became signalling he was closing in on the source. Oddly there was no sign of the creature since he discovered the smell. The enclosure seemed more silent than ever before, a comfort to his rattled senses but his training told him otherwise. Moments like this appeared when contact with the enemy was close.

So focused on sound, sight and smell he was startled when he felt his boots pressed onto something other than the hard steel of the floor below. It felt wet and soft underneath the thick soles of his boots, a faint heat emanating beneath him barely kissed his cold hands, holding the pistol grip tightly. It felt to him like he was walking across freshly spilled guts, hesitant to take the valuable time to look but curiosity eventually won him over.

Pointing his pistol downwards his eyes lay upon the alien floor; black intestinal pipes stretched all around him, with pieces of a more hardened construction that looked startlingly closed to bones but felt as strong as the steel it grew above. The pipes resembled ridged organic hoses, veins pulsing with an unknown fluid to feed the growth of this alien habitat. Instinctively he lifted one boot only to see it still attached to the floor by a sticky, transparent lubricant.

A faint sound of dripping triggered him into action as the pistol was lunged upwards, ready to engage. He gazed upwards to recognize one of the pillars covered in the same grotesque material as the floor beneath him. Nothing was distinguishable among the black organic chaos apart from the large orb growing out of the material, the upper area of the object appeared open. What was positioned at the opening though was terrifyingly human; a man's face only familiar by the bone structure of the skull. The egg appeared to be consuming the body; melting bone and tissue as drop by drop something once human was sinking into the sick cauldron brewing a monstrous recipe.

Mendez didn't know who the victim was, the face of the man was gone but he knew if he lingered immobile any longer he would be next. Holding his pistol close to his chest he turned and in the briefest of seconds a black, spiny tail hammered towards him. Before his reflexes kicked in his hands were struck away, knocking the pistol out his hands to land on the floor with the dooming crack of the light bulb being broken.

He stood frozen as a wet, gargling breathing sounded right in front of him, growing in intensity as the creature pressed forward slowly. It took all his willpower just to step backwards slowly, the invisible horror matching his steps exactly, its weight was undeniable as the sound of its movement masked his own. He continued back until he felt his back press against the moist, sticky surface of the pillar. He could see nothing but he heard its breathing hasten in anticipation, feeling the damp heat of its breath on his chest and the warm presence of its hands pressing onto the pillar on both sides of his head, enshrouding him in its deadly embrace. Panic flared within him as his end approached; any moment now it would strike and snuff out the light of his life out amongst the darkness.

But it didn't attack, merely pressed its unseen face closer until they were centimetres apart as it examined him with an unnerving curiosity. He could do nothing but whimper shamelessly, twisting his head away to the side until he felt the kiss of death. Its lips pressed against the side of his head, its breath filled Mendez's world as he let out a silent scream. He felt his bladder lose control as urine streamed down his leg. Mendez could only assume that what he felt next was the creature's tail as a sharp blade tenderly dragged up his soiled trouser leg briefly before withdrawing. As a last intrusion he could feel thick saliva drip down the neck of his uniform. Lips parted along his neck as a toothed tongue pressed its fangs gently onto his carotid artery. He stopped breathing altogether and closed his eyes tightly waiting again for death. His life didn't flash before his eyes, he didn't think or regret, his mind felt as invaded as his body until the beast pulled back.

He opened his eyes to see a faint red glimmer of hope, the pistol's laser sight beamed across the floor to his right, the source of it was only a few feet from where he stood with the giant creature. His paralyzing fear was replaced by a wavering determination not to go down without a fight, his training saving him from a surrendering end. Swiftly he ducked under the alien's arms and dived for the pistol, something swung not inches from his head to slam into the pillar loudly as he felt the satisfying grip of the pistol. A shrieking roar sounded behind him as he shot upwards then hastily retreated. Distancing himself from the alien he fired one shot where the devil had cried out.

It struck home only to anger it as he could hear it charge towards him, panicking now he discharged wildly; every shot missing as he could see brief glimpses of the alien closing in with every muzzle flash. His nerve was shattered by the sight of finally laying eyes on such a monstrosity ; every flashing glimpse more terrifying as it grew closer with impossible speed. The last gunshot and its accompanying flash saw it glance off the creature's carapace harmlessly; Mendez's last sight was of teeth and claws bared before being hit by such force it toppled him. In his last conscious moments he could feel himself being dragged forward swiftly into the abyss, he screamed loudly as the creature's grip of his shoulder grew so tight it shattered the bones inside the joint before he was stung by something sharp. Gratefully darkness and oblivion soon followed.

December 24th 1510 Shanghai Airspace

The Prison Transport Ship sailed across the skies of the great city of Shanghai on a bleak sky, torrential rain lashed down on the streets below as well as the hulking ship. Masking the craft with dark grey clouds as it closed in on its destination. The weather was harshened by the frequent lightning strikes hitting the coastline as the storm slowly approached the city. Pedestrian activity could still be seen from above, the many occupants of the metropolis filled the streets in their droves, both rich and poor oblivious to the dangers so close to their home.

What couldn't be seen by the ship's pilots though were the two Harpy attack gunships flying above the clouds, ready to sweep down to intercept any suspicious aircraft that flew too close to the precious cargo. The formation's journey was without incident, raising no suspicions as to its intended purpose to deliver the convicts inside for productive slaughter.

Cages and chains couldn't detain the maelstrom of verbal and emotional violence within the secured shuttle. Limbs were locked in place but the convicts' voices raged on; screaming in defiant anger with their thoughts of selfish unfairness and undeserving needs. These men though were already sentenced to the death penalty; fear of further punishment was devoid since their lives were on a set clock.

One prisoner was different though, silent as the grave while being separated from the group and locked in place more securely than most safes. Every convict on the ship had committed violent and despicable crimes but this single man had shocked the world with his sinister actions. Ozra Dean was crucified in chains against the wall closest to the tail of the ship, each limb completely rendered immobile. His portable fortified cell personally designed to contain what could only be described as the devil incarnate. His head lay sagged forward, long greasy black hair covered the muzzle fastened to his face, another precaution for the man was a known cannibal and had killed one of his guards before by ripping his throat out with his teeth.

A guard walked lazily passed the rows of cages without thoughts to the raging criminals beside him, his fleeting curiosity lay sighted on Ozra. He closed in on the cage with an arrogant sense of control; everyone was locked up tight so why should he have felt any fear.

"I wouldn't get too close if I were you Terry." The guard standing on the opposite end of the gangway shouted to him.

"Relax, the sick bastard looks asleep anyway." After a moment he began to slam the stock of his riot gun against the thick metal bars, the pitched sounds echoed through the deck, silencing the other raging animals that now focused on the emerging drama. "Oz! Naptimes over so wake up you fuck!"

He was only answered with silence, Ozra didn't flinch or move which only served to anger Terry. He needed some entertainment on this pathetic detail, baiting the most notorious criminal in modern history seemed like a good option. He began to walk away until a voice stabbed into him from the monster behind him.

"You ruined a wonderful daydream… Terry" Ozra's voice ripped through the air, grated from a lack of use from his time incarcerated.

Terry walked back confidently to press his face against the cold steel of the bars separating him from something more evil than human. "Oh god I'm so sorry Oz…" Sarcasm coated his apology. "…but I really couldn't give a shit. Besides I'm glad I ruined it, probably reminiscing on making some poor kid eat his own parents."

Silence followed once more, even the other convicts fell quiet in awe as they heard this evil celebrity speak once more. "I dreamt something satisfying but bittersweet Terry." The continued use of his name unsettled the guard. "I lifted from the decaying Earth a delicious dish, something so tantalizing I couldn't quite believe it. Not for its freshness but the carcass I had ripped it from." His voice continued to crawl through the deck, a priest delivering his sermon that travelled through his flock of the damned in a forsaken, airborne church.

"I struck the beast in the spine to disable it but not kill it; meat goes foul too quickly you know. It still screamed though as I cut open its belly, eventually dying as I ripped out the beautiful intestines. It's amazing how such a large organ can fit within such a compact area. I cooked them obviously, releasing the impurities and sins of its previous owner to the winds."

He was about to continue until he was abruptly cut off as Terry slammed his rifle against the bars again. "Change the station Ozra you're starting to bore me. Can't be like the rest of these scumbags and just daydream about the last time you fucked someone. No you have to be the centre of attention just like you always have." He pulled back his camouflaged sleeve to reveal his chronometer, still ten minutes till they arrived at the facility. It couldn't come quick enough, he hated to admit it even to himself but he wanted to be far away from this psychopath as quickly as possible now, regretting his reckless desire to converse with a monster.

"What's so funny asshole?" Terry asked as annoyed as Ozra began to laugh loudly, still not raising his head to reveal his face.

"The animal I dreamed of eating was you." Ozra growled as his head erupted upwards, his muscles visibly straining against the many locks entombing him as he locked eyes with Terry. He took extreme pleasure in seeing Terry's eyes flash open to attention, he fed on the fear like a former addict tasting his addiction once more. Storm grey bloodshot eyes glared beneath the oily curtain of his hair to focus his hunger on the guard. "You were dead of course but once the intestines were cooked in a delicious sauce I began to consume you, never breaking eye contact with your last expression of agony just like I am now. It was satisfactory but paled in comparison to the feast that involved your wife, which was delicious both to the tongue and the loins.

Terry face fell pale as snow, stepping back in horror. He quickly found his retreating courage and charged back to the cage. "You shut your fucking mouth or I'll put a bullet in you right now!" He unholstered his pistol loaded with lethal ammunition, sighting down the barrel straight into Ozra's eyes.

Ozra only smiled devilishly as he stared back into the barrel of the gun, and then focused on the hand stabilizing it. "You have been touching that ring with true love for the whole flight Terry she must be something else, that purity is hard to find, makes it so much more exhilarating to destroy. You got kids?"

"I said keep your mouth shut you fucking psycho!"

"Yeah of course you do, two I'm guessing. Don't worry they were included too; I made them watch everything I did with you and your wife."

A tear slowly crawled down Terry's contorted face, leaking from the crack in his emotional armor as he held the rifle still aimed at Ozra with trembling hands. His emotions ran amok within him, a battle of indescribable despair and volcanic rage. He wanted to be back home with the comforting sounds of his family around him, at the same time though he wanted to unload the entire pistol clip into those monstrous eyes staring into him.

"You don't think I will do it do you!" He screamed, fighting desperately to not pull the trigger.

"Don't do it Terry." Stratton, the other guard said gently beside him, laying a comforting hand on the younger man's shoulder while using the other to lower the pistol. "You know he's dead no matter what. Just go sit in the cockpit, we're landing in a couple minutes, and I'll keep watch over the scumbags."

Terry turned to him, every inch of torment visible in his eyes and began to walk away before Ozra decided to twist the knife once more. "A lesson in life young man, don't ever bait someone who takes the utmost pleasure in the pain of others. You will thank me in the end you know, you will never cherish your family more than you do now after this experience. I have cursed you though, when you picture them you will imagine my daydreams, all those things I could have done to them, it will become your ultimate nightmare."

Without warning Stratton emptied two stun rounds into Ozra's abdomen, silencing him briefly. As Terry walked away, passing the now roaring convicts feeling defeated beyond words. Ozra gritted through the pain of two heavyweight punches to the gut. Still winded he released a howling, maniacal laughter that followed Terry like a wraith, enshrouding him in its nefarious aura.

Minutes later it descended into the confines of the facility, arousing no suspicion and how could it; the public believed it a harmless research station. They didn't feel it impact on their daily lives so they didn't venture to investigate and any who strayed to close were gently turned back by the kind security staff. The Sulaco still lay in the dry dock, a grey featureless ship, its name scrubbed out of existence for convenience just like the histories of its lost, brave crew.

Cormack truly believed his day couldn't be any worse. Benedict Weyland's fate reached him as he was reading the morning report on the surface level of what was now codenamed: Deep Shrine. Everything was going to plan; exterior security hadn't reported anything suspicious and all logged communications were clear of leaked information. No problems apart from the fact that the most powerful man in the world was being killed by his own discovery downstairs.

He rushed to the elevator, wondering on the journey down why the hell had they ventured into that cursed ship without even a single man as a security detail, his only comfort was that Anna was safe… physically at least. He had been buzzed into the elevator by one of his lieutenants Kellan which confused him; where was the young kid assigned to the elevator? He had enough problems without some private leaving his post for god knows what.

Kellan was waiting for him as he exited, as always the Derelict cast a dark looming shadow over everything in the hanger, darkening perceived light as well as his mood. "Well give it to me straight, what's the report from Monroe?"

Kellan shuffled his posture uncomfortably. "A shit show, Weyland is unconscious with one of those things attached to his face though Monroe thinks he can surgically remove the embryo once the parasite dies. It's all theory right now though so we will just have to wait on the outcome but at the very least Weyland's droid is leading the surgery so no worries about shaky hands fucking it up."

"Fucking perfect… where's Anna?" He asked hastily.

"Found her in a pretty bad state outside Medical so I took her to your quarters and left her with Navek. Better hurry up and get over there because she won't speak a word to any of us and she was killing it with your scotch when I left her.

"Okay keep me posted on anything and find out where the damn elevator security is!" He growled.

"Sure thing I'll find him and don't worry I'll be kicking seven shits outta him when I do."

When Cormack eventually made it to his quarters he found Navek standing guard at the door silently watching Anna as she stared into the distance; a cigarette in her hand clearly absent of attention as the ash slowly collapsed from sheer gravity alone. The scotch however had been shown plenty of attention as he could tell from the empty bottle and her dark demeanor.

"It's okay Navek I got this. The prisoners are coming in so I'll need you to pass them all through" Cormack leaned towards him speaking quietly.

"Okay boss, don't worry about it and just let me know if you need anything." Navek said before leaving the room to leave the couple in a torturous silence.

Cormack sat opposite her, staring directly at her without a glance being pointed back towards him, he stole what remained of the cigarette she held without protest. She truly was in a world all her own.

"From what I've been told love there was nothing you could have done. All we can do now is wait for the surgery and your dads got the best doctors money can buy, Monroe's idea should work and Andrew is leading the surgery." He commented, wishing his words inwardly for the sake of current events.

"Andrew knows everything…" She murmured still partially locked in her own mind.

"You wanna run that by me again, he knows what?" He enquired.

"He knows all about Charles, about me, about what I did to my mother."

"Oh. Fuck. How the hell does he know that?"

"He has access to all our medical records, told me when he came to see my father. Said we need to prepare for what might happen with the company in case of the worst, tried to press into me that Charles can't take over from my father."

"Well I'm starting to warm to that synth… he is right you know though someone needs to put that psycho down before he does something really dangerous. Though I think your dad has trumped that card with bringing that damn ship here." Once again they sat in silence while Cormack sieved through his words. "Well you can't prepare to take over a corporation sitting here drinking yourself to death feeling sorry for yourself." He tried to boost her into action but to no avail.

"Whatever James, just go and play soldier somewhere else remember to not fuck your men over this time like you did in the Marines."

That cut way too deeply for Cormack, his mistakes were his own and he had his reasons. He decided he needed to be more brutal in his words to snap her out this gloom, inside though he wished he shouldn't need to say them. "You can shut the fuck up about that girl until you're in a similar situation until then listen up. You might make everyone think you are a cold stonehearted bitch and sometimes you manage to pull it off but you and I both know how it really is. You're still that scared little girl from years ago when your brother tormented you for what happened with you and your mother and you have never evolved from then but Charles has and he has gotten a lot worse. Get over it okay so your mum died giving birth to you, whoopdee fucking doo it happens to a lot of people…"

She launched up from her seat and punched him hard on the jaw, he stood up visually enraged but he remained still as him as she rushed around the desk, grabbing him with one hand to punch him with the other, he let her hit him again before throwing her against the wall holding her arms to stop further strikes.

"Good you've finally grown some real attitude now get ready to start using it because no matter what happens with your dad you and Charles are gonna eventually fight it out over all this shit and you need to be ready for it."

She shrugged his grasp off and walked away from him to lean against the desk panting with absolute rage. "I fucking hate you, you piece of shit! That's it we are done I want you gone! Out of this goddamn place, today!" She said before storming out of the room.

Before Cormack could process her words his earpiece flared into life as Kellan's voice came through, he sounded nervous, which served only in making Cormack more nervous.

"Boss its Kellan, found out from some of the guys that Charles took Mendez down into the enclosure level. They overheard him saying he needed the kid for something down there."

He was irritated by the intrusion into his mental privacy for such a trivial subject. "So what I got bigger problems right now."

"I got a bad feeling about this though James, Charles just walked out the lift and I swear to god he's got the creepiest fucking smile I've ever seen. I'm gonna go down and see what's going on."

A mental alarm tripped in Cormack's brain, it might have been shear paranoia but he felt that something was horribly wrong. "Grab some of the men and make sure they're armed, I'll meet you at the lift in a minute. Try not to attract any attention." He subconsciously checked the magazine in his sidearm before rushing out the door.

He rushed through the halls of the barracks catching up to the walking tempest that was Annabelle, she must have recognized his distress though and threw her anger aside for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Even through all that was happening, he was still grateful to hear her speak to him without anger sharpening her words.

He stopped midstride. "I think your brother just done something to one of my men c'mon!" He said clearly worried.

Even with the whiskey numbing her she joined him in his frantic sprint through the remainder of the barracks once they exited they slowed to a powered walk, clearing the facility floor within a few minutes to arrive at the entrance to the cargo lift. Kellan was waiting for them with three heavily armed men holding two pulse rifles, one of which he handed to Cormack.

"I think we've attracted some attention sir." Taylor one of the security staff said nodding his head towards the hangar floor behind them. The usual noise of activity and voices from the personnel should have been soaring as he saw the volatile prisoners being shipped into the facility. He could even see notorious Ozra Dean, encumbered by his restraints and surrounded by four armed security. The expected throng though fell silent as the grave as they saw the head of security ready to enter the lower sublevel with a gun in hand.

"Fuck them lets go" Cormack grunted as they all entered the lift to descend into the unknown.

The descent below was filled only with the sound of equipment being ready. Weapons being double checked and primed for use, the subtle sounds of hands bouncing off pouches, checking their equipment not because it wasn't ready but merely for comfort. These sounds were all too familiar to each of the soldiers, just a relaxing caress of the nerves before entering into a dangerous unknown.

"This might all be a harmless misunderstanding sir." Daniels another one of the renegade team spoke, standing ready for war.

"Nothing involving my brother is ever harmless." Anna wished she had a gun just for reassurance.

"Remember lads that the security down here isn't part of our outfit, they were hired by Weyland himself and won't listen to any orders we give them." Cormack warned, already knowing that they would be their first hurdle.

"Well that hasn't stopped us before has it brother? Remember the Takran Fields?" He smiled, ever the joker and keeping the morale up just before it plummeted.

The memory couldn't help but raise a chuckle from Cormack "I'll never forget it, you and Emmett forcing that lieutenant and his team off the artillery piece just because you were both bored waiting for our orders. I think the fact that Emmett still had dry blood all over his kit at the time really helped persuade them."

They marched through the long tunnel leading to the enclosure; their pace hastened by worry for being too late to help their comrade. They didn't fail to notice the elongated killzone that they marched through without incident however.

"Holy shit." One of the other soldiers exclaimed in surprise as he gazed upon row and row of sentry guns. "How dangerous is this thing that's being kept down here?"

"More than you can imagine soldier." Anna said blankly, she felt like an outsider among them, unsure on her use to the situation they were entering.

Her words sunk them into silence until they ventured inside the enclosure's control room. Contrasting to the tension they felt all appeared like business as usual when they entered, in fact not one person looked up to see who had arrived. The security staff did though and when they saw that their guests were armed they rose up, discreetly forming a blockade to the airlock behind them. Their defensive stature along with the ignorant silence from the science personnel only heightened suspicion.

"Everyone stop what you're doing. Right fucking now please!" Cormack's volume along with his choice of words raised them from their research. "I've been informed that Mr. Weyland brought one of my men down here for something and he hasn't been seen since so… where the hell is he?"

Making use of herself Anna scanned everyone's faces for signs of deception and to answer her suspicions more than enough faces fell pale when confronted with Cormack's question. The security staff though held their composure well with grim, fake smiles.

One holding a pulse rifle stepped forward. "This is clearly a misunderstanding Major, Private Mendez left with Charles a not fifteen minutes ago."

The soldiers picked up on one crucial detail of the scene that Anna had failed to notice, not because she couldn't see it but because she was a civilian and didn't know of the daily toils of a soldier. Each of the men facing them were already equipped with their weapons, even the smartgunners. These including the pulse rifles were heavy weapons, not overbearing but holding them for hours at a time without the support of fear and adrenaline took its toll, so any chance to relieve the weight was always welcome. These men were already holding the weapons upon their arrival like they were waiting for something. Now though they stood in a discreet firing line, their hands appeared bone white as they tightly held their instruments of death and pain.

Kellan slowly pressed the stock of his rifle against his shoulder, achieving a lowered firing pose without raising notice. "Nice try dumbasses but we didn't mention his name and I saw Charles leave this level alone so let's try the question again; where the fuck is Mendez?"

More ignorant silence followed, they clearly knew the game was up but they still played denial none the less. Anna wasn't quite sure if it was the stress from today's events, the alcohol coursing through her or how bullshit their alibi was but something clearly snapped. Her hand shot towards Cormack's hip, pulling clear his black, custom sidearm to step swiftly across the room, pressing the muzzle against the head of a male scientist. Such a frantic action raised a swift reply from one of the accused soldiers as his rifle's sights bored down on her. The others launched their weapons upwards to take aim at Cormack and his men. Threat was met with threat as both parties stood at the ready for bloodshed, when they weren't focusing on headshots everyone was staring into their target's eyes. The tension was crushing in the coming moments, one wrong move or one wrong look and the room would descend into a sudden, brutal firefight.

"Everybody just take it easy… okay. No need for this to get ugly if you just answer the question." Cormack voiced gently, never taking his eyes off the targets in front of him.

"Put the guns down! All of You!" Barked the soldier who had his sights trained on Anna's skull.

"You even think about it kid and your dead so just lower your weapons and answer the fucking question!" The words burst from Cormack's mouth before thought had time to process, his attempt of diplomacy crushed under the beast that threatened to overcome him. His target was on the left hand side of the group; they stood only a few paces from each other so if things escalated to violence all he would have to do is just pull the trigger and pull right, it was that simple.

"Shut the fuck up Cormack we don't work for your damn company, we work for Weyland so drop the guns before this goes bad and we all die!" He said aloud, his confidence was backed up by the fact that they all wore heavy armour and two were equipped the deadly accurate smartguns that could turn the team into mincemeat without effort.

Anna stared into the dark hole of the muzzle pointing into her eyes, she felt fear but it was quickly swamped with a reckless, lashing rage that showed no signs of fading. "You're gonna shoot me you little fucking weasel?" She laughed loudly never breaking eye contact with her potential killer. "Even if you make it out alive I'd love to see what my brother would do to the man that gunned down his sister, especially in the mood he is in right now with the state of my father. You go ahead though fucking shoot me, go on sign your death sentence with my life!"

Cormack couldn't believe what he was seeing; most civilians in these situations crumpled under the pressure but Anna was dominating the situation now, forcing all eyes on her for she was the imminent unpredictable danger. Even Cormack had to admit to himself he was slightly terrified by her outburst but his concentration still bore on her possible killer and his intent.

"You shut the fuck…" Cormack didn't like the way the man's trigger closed in slightly, it wasn't a decision merely years of training, experience and instinct. His own finger squeezed gently on the thin metal trigger instantly and before he could feel the dampened recoil or see the explosion of blood and brains he pulled to the right, never letting go of the trigger. It took only milliseconds for the violence to pass and for their lives to end in a flash of gunfire, none of the victims though were of Cormack's team. Their training and skill showcased splattered against the inner airlock, pieces of brain matter stained the door, coated with their owners' blood as gravity slowly dragged it downward marring the sterile white with quick but clean deaths and not one of them fired a shot in response.

The room fell quiet as quiet as the grave for but a second before screams arose from the terrified science staff, glued to their seats, afraid they would meet the same end if movement was seen. Anna held her hostage down with her free hand as she waved the gun towards the rest of the sheep among wolves. "Everyone get out of here now!" She ordered, her voice ringing with authority.

They obeyed swiftly stopping for nothing in their desperate bid to escape the scene of bloodshed as Kellan and the others dragged the bodies aside to the wall, their decimated skulls leaking blood all the way creating four trails of blood on the floor like an artist's brushstrokes. Seeing his colleagues leave the slim built man underneath Anna's gun began to rise from his seat. Anna objected to his freedom and pressed him back down, cocking back the firing hammer to quell further thoughts of escape.

"Where do you think you're going friend? You didn't answer my question and no one's here to stop you from telling me what I want to know."

He held his hands upwards; they trembled uncontrollably as he pointed one towards the bloodied airlock. "Your brother ordered the soldiers…" He stopped as he gazed at the ruined corpses lying against the wall, of one's face only a jaw remained from the explosive ammunition used and the white teeth stood a stark contrast to the gore surrounding it. "…they put him in the enclosure with the creature."

Cormack's fears were confirmed. "Is he alive?" He moved towards him, leaning down on one knee, lifting the barrel of the pulse rifle under the scientist's chin with the smell of cordite fresh on the muzzle. "You must know, there are cameras all around that place so you would have seen what happened in there." He growled knowing full well these people watched with interest as his man was condemned to danger.

"We don't know… the alien destroyed all the lights in the enclosure so the cameras are useless, we just saw gunfire."

Cormack shot upwards to stomp towards the door. "Ready up lads if we're lucky he might still be alive! Daniels you're staying here with Anna to operate the door and be ready for a hot exit, you got that?"

"Roger that sir." Daniels replied as he stood by the airlock controls.

Kellan pressed a hand on Cormack's chest to stop him from walking further to the airlock. "James you sure about this? If we go in there we risk breaking quarantine and exposing the entire facility for just one man who might already be dead. I don't like this one bit but we need to think about the bigger picture here."

"To hell with quarantine if it gets past us the sentry turrets will shred it. I aint leaving that poor kid in there as some alien's chew toy." Cormack growled as he threw Kellan's hand away.

"At the very least let's send for reinforcements, four on one still doesn't guarantee us even finding him in that maze with the lights off." Kellan attempted to hammer reason home but he knew his friend and his mind too much to think he would listen.

"No time." Cormack stated as he ripped two bulky devices from the dead riflemen before throwing one to one of the privates. "For all we know he's minutes away from dying on the other side of that airlock and we're wasting his chances standing here debating. We got two trackers so when we find a signal its either gonna be Mendez or that thing it's that simple now are you guys coming with me or am I going in there myself cause you know I damn well will!"

"Course I'm coming with you." Kellan said readying himself in body and mind for further combat. "If we die in there though I swear to god I'm never gonna stop beating the shit out of you when we reach hell. Boys?" The last word was merely a question to the two privates Taylor and Murray who merely nodded without question.

Cormack looked towards Anna who was walking back from throwing the scientist out. "Anna stay with Daniel, we won't be long okay."

"Don't worry I'm not leaving here till you're all back, this thing needs live hosts to breed so Mendez is alive I know it. Just please be careful… this thing isn't just some bug." She mentioned with concern already coating her face, dripping a tear onto the floor to mix with the blood giving the surface a new paint.

"I know, okay let's get this done." He ordered as the four walked into the airlock, the door slowly lowered down to separate the four from safety and the world they knew.

The decontamination protocols worked their cycle leaving everyone to their own thoughts for but a brief moment as anything audible was snuffed out as they were sprayed. They had battled against indigenous species on other planets before but these species were considered nothing more than an irritating obstacle, natives of wanted land that had to be exterminated for corporate workers to operate safely. This race of aliens though were being better guarded and secured more than anything Cormack had ever seen in his military career. The price of this facility alone was a testament to the value placed on that ship and its cargo. His steady nerve was shook to its core by these thoughts as decontamination finished.

"Remember this thing bleeds acid so don't let it get close to us okay, other than that it's like any other animal so just keep your cool." Cormack assured, trying to comfort his own thoughts more than the men around him."

"And what if this thing bleeds all over the floor and causes a breach, we are deep under water right now remember?" Kellan said, as always knew how to make his superior feel better.

"Oh for fuck sake! Well just fire warning shots then if you see it I don't have any better ideas." Cormack confessed with frustration.

"You don't have any bright ideas… how did you get this job?" Kellan jabbed with light hearted sarcasm.

It raised a quiet grin from each of them; it was one of the rare qualities soldiers had that separated them from civilians. Only soldiers would laugh and joke moments before throwing themselves in harm's way. The outer airlock raised upwards, the enclosure greeting the men with a pressuring darkness that forced their bodies still to remain in the safety of the light.

"We can't leave that poor kid in this; light up lads. Kellan keep on my right, Murray take the left and Taylor you cover our six with your tracker." Cormack commanded gravely as they took their first steps into the abyss. Assuming formation their lights illuminated every angle, allowing none to step close without swift, deadly reply as they marched slowly forward. No words were uttered to gain them better perception of anything moving around them but all they could hear was their own hastily drawn breaths and the faint beeping of the two motion trackers as they revealed nothing.

As they ventured deeper and deeper into the lair, they found no sign of Mendez or the alien. Unbeknownst to them their every movement was being watched by the creature, not from the distant shadows but from their only blind spot… right above them as it creeped silently across the roof. None of them were sure how long the enclosure was but they knew they would find something just hopefully not the alien.

Through uncertainty and fear they quickened their pace, never breaking formation as mere paces separated their backs as Cormack led them on.

"Mendez!" Cormack roared, his voice travelling far to echo from unseen, distant walls. Only silence returned for a minute until a distant moan could be heard from ahead of them. Something hissed sharply from directly above them on the ceiling.

Everyone raised their rifles upwards to briefly illuminating the nightmarish creature before it sped along the ceiling, disappearing from light's reach to head swiftly to the source of the wailing, and its signal disappeared from Cormack's tracker within a second.

"Jesus it's fucking huge! No one mentioned it could get on the roof!" Taylor, one of the other soldiers exclaimed.

"Can it boy that was Mendez we just heard let's move!" Kellan ordered as they ran at a steady pace, breaking formation but maintaining movement discipline as their weapons' aim proceeded their steps. "Taylor keep checking our back; don't want it doubling back on us! Everyone keep an eye above too!" Kellan panted, his heart raced as they pushed onwards, unable to shake the unsettling knowledge that this felt like a trap.

Soon their lights finally reached the source as Mendez could be seen cocooned to the pillar coated in the alien's grotesque construction. The growing egg loomed beside him, the body that seeded it no longer recognizable as human so the men took no notice in their rush to save their comrade. His body was wrapped in a more recent transparent addition; its tensile strength was still visible as it held the fully grown man over a meter high above the ground.

"What the fuck is this shit?" Murray, the other soldier wondered aloud.

"We aint got time to play scientist Murray!" Cormack shouted as he raced towards Mendez. He felt the skin under the trouser leg of Mendez' exposed leg; there was still body heat but he was obviously paralyzed by something. Another concern was the gory shoulder wound only visible by its swollen malformed shape and the clothing around it still wet with seeping blood. "Somebody gimme a lift we need to get him out of this!" It was more a plea than an order; he felt that they had already used up all their luck just finding him in this labyrinth of shadow.

The tense silence was broken by a grunt of pain that disappeared as soon as the sound as produced, Kellan and Murray immediately ceased their attempt to raise Cormack to turn with their weapons extended. "Where's Taylor!" Kellan screamed as he and Murray scanned the distance behind them; they didn't know how he disappeared he just simply vanished. There was not a single trace of the soldier's whereabouts but the light from his pulse rifle that beamed from the floor not thirty paces away from them, his tracker lay beside it pulsing away uselessly as it resembled a heart no longer beating. Slowly Murray wandered forward vainly.

"Don't you dare son!" Cormack shouted. "He's already dead, Kellan get me up here, Murray watch our angles." Cormack ordered desperately as he tossed him his tracker. He didn't want to believe his words but the time for thought was over, they were being hunted by the alien and time was running out. Kellan crouched low as Cormack placed his booted feet on his shoulders to get him level with Mendez' torso. With his rifle slung around his shoulder he desperately grabbed at any groove in the newly applied resin, his hands swiftly became wet with its sticky coating. Eventually with considerable strength and effort the organic restraints began to give way as he wildly tore pieces apart to slowly unravel the creature's first prey. Once he was done with the torso he stepped off Kellan's shoulders much to his comrade's relief to begin on the resin around the legs while his Kellan supported the disabled soldiers sagging torso.

Cormack heard a short burst of gunfire from behind, he feared their back being exposed if Murray was no more but he was comforted by the young soldier's unstable words.

"Just passed right in front of me… twenty yards away… flanked left!" Murray panted.

"Control your breathing lad you're doing great!" Cormack gritted as he continued on releasing Mendez, only a few more seconds and he would be free.

"Christ this shit stinks. How the fuck did Taylor not see that thing on the tracker" Kellan muttered as he stopped Mendez from slouching forward, his immobility and heavy breathing making the disgusting odour more apparent among the rush of their situation.

"Hell if I know, maybe it blindsided him, couldn't have been four feet from us when it happened." On that note he shouted towards Taylor. "Scan every angle lad! Okay he's free let him down." Cormack said as he and Kellan lowered Mendez down from his organic coffin. They quickly swung his arms around both their shoulders to carry him forward, heaving their rifles with their free hands to illuminate and cover their front. "C'mon Murray cover our rear and stay close, we're getting the fuck outta here!"

Their pace was dangerously slow as they struggled on towards the dim light above the airlock encumbered with the dead weight of their objective. The light was a beacon of hope, it became their finish line and their only hope of survival from this hell. Their rescue however didn't go unnoticed as the creature clung camouflaged among its constructed habitat on the opposite side of where Mendez was cocooned. For a moment Cormack stood a mere few feet from death as he rescued him. What separated him from a brutal end though wasn't luck but the pillar and the alien's rapidly adapting intelligence.

It hadn't attacked at that moment; over the two encounters with the strange beings it had learned of their reliance on the objects they held in their hands. These constructs were their weapons, unlike its limbs these weapons were far reaching and if it were struck by them could prove potentially fatal. It had taken a risk killing the intruder at their rear but it succeeded without fault, throwing the weak creature down silently, sinking its inner jaw into its skull before dragging it away swiftly before discovery. Returning to the other intruders immediately after with an unnatural speed.

The moment of their theft of the host would have seemed a perfect opportunity to attack the rest if it had been newly born and unaware of their capabilities but slowly it was learning their ways, adapting its approach. The alien felt the absence of the host's body from the resin coated pillar, felt every touch along its reach. Every inch of contacted secretion sent sensations travelling through a complex network of nerves to reach its skin. Such a rush of movement was pleasure to its need to reproduce, more bodies for more hosts.

Their movement was tantalizingly slow but once darkness shielded the alien once more it lowered itself from the pillar to stalk forward. They were more exposed than ever now as the weaker one covered their rear, settling on its next target it rushed ahead of them stealthily to wait for opportunity.

Kellan's neck and upper shoulders protested in agony from carrying Mendez and aiming his pulse rifle with separate hands. On two occasions they stopped to completely check their angles because when moving it proved too difficult to aim the rifles to their far flanks. Murray was more than making up for it but one man can only be spread so far before exposing a blind spot. "You're doing great kid, we're almost there just keep it up." Kellan panted. Murray didn't reply but thankfully Kellan could still hear the private's footsteps behind them along with the still silent motion tracker, he was concentrating too much to speak which was a good sign.

Sweat began to drip into his eyes, the salty liquid jabbing an irritating sting into his sight. He had no doubt Cormack was facing the same problem, rapidly he tried to blink it away as they passed one of the thick pillars. Kellan was so desperate to clear his eyes of the sting sweat he smacked his arm off the pillar. He grunted in pain and stumbled, taking a few moments to collect himself before growling in effort and anger to raise himself up and continue.

"C'mon lads we're almost there." Cormack ushered his men on. They were getting closer to the airlock only roughly a hundred yards from their salvation.

A swift salvo of gunfire blared from behind them, as quickly as their exhausted shoulders would allow it they dropped Mendez unforgivingly onto the hard floor, twisting swiftly to assist Murray but it was too late. As their eyes met Murray they saw a sinister grin reflected from their light as a black, skeletal tail whipped out from underneath the monstrosity half-hidden on the pillar above them to strike Murray in the skull. The young private's head blew apart from the sheer force of the barb's impact, blood sprayed across their faces as his body crumbled downwards just as swiftly as his hope of leaving this hell alive vanished.

Wiping blood from their eyes they hastily fired upon the pillar and the creature that cowered behind it, the explosive ammunition shattering the outer layer as shards of concrete peppered their view of the already fleeing target. They moved without thought as they surrounded the pillar on both sides attempting to flank the alien only to find it gone. Without speech they rushed back to Mendez for Kellan to drag him alone by his uniform while Cormack followed twisting his firing angle constantly in the event of it making another attempt for them. If only Cormack remembered in their hasty retreat to pick up the tracker that now lay in a pool of Murray's blood, the spattered screen uselessly showed the creature's signal as it headed back in their direction

"Daniels we have Mendez but Taylor and Murray are dead, get ready to open the door on my command!" Cormack shouted into his headset, not caring for a reply, his mind too focused on target acquisition.

After what seemed like a fearful eternity they reached the airlock, grateful for being embraced by its bright light offering a fragile sanctuary from the hell they had narrowly escaped from.

"Open it!" Cormack screamed and within seconds the door began its slow ascent, once fully opened they rushed inside the airlock with Mendez in tow. Before they even made it in the door began to lower itself as Daniels saw their haste for escape. Both commanders stood with rifles aimed towards the closing gap but all they could see was what initially greeted them when they first entered; darkness.

As the airlock door passed its halfway mark they lowered their weapons in relief and leaned against the walls of the airlock heavily. Their momentary weakness was exposed though as a demonic hand lunged underneath the door to wrap its clawed digits around Mendez' ankle and before they could scramble to save him and complete their rescue Mendez was pulled underneath the closing gap. His face disappeared from Cormack's sight only to cement the memory and drive deep the level of this failure; Murray and Taylor had died for nothing.

His blood boiled as the airlock's decontamination protocol filled both their ears with encompassing noise, barely masking his roar of pent up fear and rage while Kellan merely stood in a defeated silence watching his friend suffer through the guilt. As the inner hatch opened Cormack stormed through to throw his pulse rifle across the room, oblivious to Daniels or Anna as he began to strike the metal wall with his fists. Not caring as his skin was peeled away from the knuckles as they left not a single dent in the wall, blood dripped from his hands, adding to the growing reservoir that this level of the facility contained.

"Fuck!" He screamed to no one as his mind toiled with rage, regret and the unknowing of what unspeakable horrors were being conducted by that creature on his three dead men. He thought nothing though of the consequences they would face as a result from the four piled, headless corpses that were laid unceremoniously beside him.


	9. Chapter 8: Broken

_"_ _I'm not just taking her away from Ryan though Alan, you don't understand it cause you haven't seen it, the whole battalion is like her extended family, all five hundred of them, aunts and uncles."_

 _"_ _It's cute and all Veronica but I don't like her being around so many violent people, from what I've heard some of them seem petty unstable."_

 _"_ _They would never harm her Alan, if anyone ever did I don't think you'd want to know what they'd do to them."_

 _"_ _Sure I do."_

 _"_ _If I told you Alan you'd be afraid to touch her ever again."_

 _Veronica having second thoughts about taking Rain away from her father and his deadly family._

December 24th 1600 hours. Deep Shrine Facility, Sublevel 1

Fantasies were perfect dreams of the conscious, completely within the author's control to take in any direction they saw fit with perfect clarity. They were dreams that would never come true and in that way they were beautiful but unsatisfying. That's what ran through Ozra Dean's mind as he sat chained inside his cell. He could only assume it was a cell as he was still blinded and all of the intriguing stimuli had been snuffed out once his guards had slammed the door shut.

He remembered the sound of gulls accompanied the salted scent of the coast as he was cautiously escorted from the vehicle that brought him here. He was the last to leave, the irritating rabble of common prisoners were a few minutes ahead of him. His journey to his cell was an interesting time of discovery as his senses worked diligently to try and answer the question of his current location.

Before being locked in here he could hear the self important chatter of the proudly intelligent along with the distinct smell of disinfectant, a laboratory? Before he could question further the swift scent of perfume brushed against his nostrils, there were women here. He hadn't smelled a woman in the three years since he was incarcerated but there was no doubting it.

In the solitude of his cell he had time to process the scent and his fantasies began of the woman wearing it. The scent wasn't cheap or overpowering, a hazy tease to knock him from his concentration in passing her. She wasn't shy she wanted to be noticed, to have eyes trace the curves of her body, undressing her with his mind. She didn't give it away either, this woman wanted to be worshipped like a goddess. She wanted him to surrender his vulnerability before he could control her with his hands.

His longing was halted by the harsh metal grating of his cell door being opened as two sets of footsteps walked inside. He could feel an aura of confidence coming from one of the intruders of his dream. This was a new sensation and he could feel a drip of adrenaline sink into his blood, he was intrigued.

"Take his restraints off and leave us." The voice spoke with unwavering authority and without hesitation.

"Sir?" The other spoke, he was clearly the guard.

"Do it and don't ever question me again." A raised voice wasn't needed to enforce the point, probably a single look that Ozra couldn't see.

Slowly and with nervous hands he could feel his leg restraints be removed but he remained quiet and motionless. Once his wrist restraints came away he still sat quietly, revelling in the unused freedom and power of his body. As the guard retreated outside and the door sealed shut he stood up and moved his arms in multiple angles. He hadn't moved his limbs this much in weeks. His hand came up to still feel the muzzle wrapped around the lower half of his face before coming to the blindfold.

"Please don't." This man had no fear, for a second Ozra thought he could hear boredom in his voice

Who was this man to give him orders, he was so close that Ozra could smell the money coming out of every pore. So alone and vulnerable. Still blind he let his nose guide him forward until he could feel the other man's steady breaths, Ozra could tell he was the taller of the two. Smoothed-skinned fingers caressed the skin underneath the blindfold as it was lifted clear. For a few brief seconds the assault of light blinded him still until it finally stabilized to focus on his curious visitor.

He was expensively dressed, completely immaculate and pure in every way. He could have been mistaken for a synthetic if it wasn't for the eyes. In those Ozra saw the twisted darkness in those orbs, he saw something tormented and dangerous as the visitor's face turned into a porcelain smile.

'I'm..."

"I know who you are." Ozra cut him off. He wanted control of the situation now. "Charles Weyland. Heir to the Weyland Yutani empire. Why am I here?"

"You're here to die Mr Dean but before that I wished to speak to you. I've become quite a fan of yours." Charles tried to walk past him to sit on the cell's bunk but Ozra blocked him with his body, glaring into him fiercely before he seated himself first. "Before we continue I think we should lay some ground rules..."

"I could kill you before your security even open that door. Like you said, I'm a dead man anyway so what's stopping me?" Ozra's posture was relaxed but it rested on a hair trigger.

"The same reason why the thought left your mind the second I had my guard leave me in this room with you. Mutual curiosity." Charles smiled again but it wasn't the same fake porcelain smile from before. Ozra could see something lingered underneath the expression. A shark gliding beneath the glassy surface of a dark ocean, mercilessly hunting for sustenance with black lifeless eyes.

"I brought you here to help me with something." Charles was pacing back and forth, clearly uncomfortable. Just saying those words made him feel exposed and naked but his desires were darkening over the years and he lusted for something condemned. Who better to help him understand these feelings than someone who embraced them without regret. "I've experienced the finest of human pleasures in the course of my young life. The world surrenders itself to me at the mere mention of my name and yet everything has become stale because of it. The pleasures I desire now would make most people recoil."

"What do you desire Mr Weyland?"

"I used to desire women, now they merely satisfy a need. They're a means to an end. I revelled in manipulating people and playing with their lives but now even that bores me. I consulted a therapist for the numbness that I felt but he continually circled around the subject of my mother and it grew tiring. I told him many private things and I didn't want him reporting to my father so I had him killed." He could hear himself speak but he couldn't stop himself even if he wanted to. Isolated from the ability to be truly open about his thoughts for so long by his own darkness it was relieving to finally let some of it out. "The simple fact that I had given an order and he died a day later was the most thrilling sensation I had ever felt in my life. I know what I did would be seen by others as wrong, some would say evil." Charles had finally stopped pacing and he believed Ozra finally recognised what he was.

"The masses only believe that because of the consequences, we as a species have evolved with the natural talent to kill our own kind." Ozra spoke with conviction. "It's only a matter of perspective, one man kills another in the street and it's considered murder. Thousands kill each other on the battlefield and they are heralded as heroes of war. We are a hypocritical mess of a species, we consider our baser instincts taboo but we turn a blind eye to our destruction and the rape of every world we inhabit."

"That's very profound. You once said that the reason you killed those people was because it was the only time you truly felt in control."

"It was. My mother was a prostitute on Titan, I was an unwanted by-product of her profession. She couldn't afford an abortion at the time. She used to tell me that I had lost her six months of work due to her pregnancy. When I was old enough she made use of me and put me to work in her trade. I was too young to know what was happening as men and women used me for their twisted vices."

"I became numb to it as time went by and every night she would get high on whatever drugs she could afford and hold me as we slept. She would tell me before the drugs knocked her out that I was the angel that I saved her. I knew why she felt that way, I doubled the bitch's income. I didn't hate the people that she let have their way with me. I hated her for only loving me after the innocence and purity was raped from me."

"One night she was so high she had mistaken me for a customer as she held me to sleep, she tried to undress me and something snapped. She violated the last piece of me still human, I wrapped my hands around her neck and choked the life from her, the numbness drifted away as I saw the life leave her eyes."

"It's all very tragic but what does this have to do with my predicament?" Charles had shown enough weakness and retreated back into his usual demeanour. He clearly realised now that they were nothing alike.

"I took pleasure in being in control for the first time in my life. You Mr Weyland are uniquely broken in that there are no consequences for your actions. You need the thrill of someone resisting your will and the pleasure will come in conquering them."

As Charles received this twisted guidance in his own darkness the door behind him opened and the fearful guard entered cautiously. His eyes never leaving Ozra with his stun rifle shouldered. "I'm sorry sir but there is a situation developing down in the other sub level."

"What kind of situation?"

"The enclosure team just ran out the lift saying Commander Cormack and a few men killed your private security down there. They're saying you put someone in the enclosure with the creature." The young man's eyes showed fear and a questioning glance as he kept looking at the unrestrained Ozra.

Charles forced the young man's eyes onto him. "I did put him in there, what of it? He attacked me. It's better he was used to further the research than to simply die." He was being generous in justifying his actions but it was only meant so solidify his control. "You and your outfit report to Lieutenant Garrett now do you understand."

"But sir Commander Cormack..."

"Is defying orders and causing needless damage to the project. Are you defying me private?" Charles leaned in closer as Ozra sat enjoying the merciless beating down of the young man's will.

"No sir."

"Good now fetch me Garrett and assemble a team to arrest Cormack and his men." The guard moved swiftly out the cell leaving Charles and Ozra alone again.

"Someone to resist your will Mr Weyland, how aptly timed. Before you go though tell me at least how I am to die." Ozra asked leaning against the wall relaxed."

Charles opened the cell again and nearly left entirely before turning back towards the murderer. He didn't realise that with the door open the Derelict was visible to Ozra who's shock and wonder was clearly visible from just his eyes. "Your going to give birth to something Mr Dean. Something I think you'll appreciate. Something free in its murderous nature that I can never be. But you can."

December 24th 1700 hours. The Pit, 1st Squad's Quarters, Mars.

Drake was locked inside a deep alcohol-fuelled slumber, the dreamless rest where time and thought didn't exist until one woke up slowly wondering where the hell they were. That slow awakening didn't come for Drake though as every nerve in his body snapped him back to life and he raised himself quicker than lightning. He couldn't recognise his surroundings instantly, his body was too busy dealing with the freezing cold water that penetrated his clothes and further into every pore in his body. When he did he saw that he was surrounded by the Reapers surrounding his bunk laughing their asses off. A quick glance to his right showed Watts in shock from the same wake up call.

"Rise and shine boys. Your wasting daylight!" Jacobs shouted, holding an empty bucket smiling. It was an unusual sight. Drake still couldn't comprehend the Gunnery Sergeant actually feeling happiness.

"Fuck, you two still stink from that last exercise. Your gonna need more than a bucket." Emmett said as he and Smith grabbed them both by their soaking clothes and dragged them out the room. Before Drake knew it they were in a large shower block being shoved into two cubicles. His body still ached from the running and fighting, hindering his ability to drag the wringing clothes off his tired muscles. But it was all worth it as the hot water scorched his exhausted muscles.

It didn't last long. Suddenly the relieving heat turned into the icy cold that had pulled him from his sleep. The change in temperature was so sudden he nearly leapt out of his skin.

"I don't remember saying you two were allowed hot water. Your lucky enough we let you sleep this morning assholes." Emmett growled from outside the two cubicles. "Hurry the fuck up we don't have all day." After another minute the water was turned off and he ripped open the doors tossing them both towels. "There's fresh clothes out here, Jacobs wants to talk to you back in the room so move it."

After drying himself Drake walked out the cubicle to see both Sergeants gone. Watts was dressing himself but his back was exposed showing the burn scars from cigarettes that pockmarked his upper torso. He knew it was best not to ask and donned the combat fatigues quickly.

"I don't think he likes us." Watts remarked as they finished getting ready. They both gazed at each other for a moment before laughing.

They walked back into the back room to find Jacobs sitting on a chair leaning his arms over the back rest with the warhound Strigou beside him. He didn't give them a look as they entered he merely motioned for them to sit at the table. They obeyed without word though both of them were ravenous with hunger and Drake was suffering from the alcohol.

"Enjoy yourselves last night?" Jacobs still hadn't looked in their direction, he was too busy being assaulted by a barrage of affection from his pet.

"Yes sir." They answered in unison.

Jacobs forced the beast back down before taking Strigou's jaws in his hands to force the beast to maintain eye contact with him. "Strig go find the bitch, go on find her."

Strigou wandered out the room with his nose lowered and working tirelessly, his steps were surprisingly silent as he left considering his startling size and hurried pace much like his master. Drake looked at the Staff Sergeant quizzically.

"The bitch is my ex wife idiot. Last night was a rare occasion as you could probably guess. There are extenuating circumstances concerning my family life. Once the matter is dealt with you will start your training with us and trust me it will make the selection seem piss easy. Understood."

"Yes sir." They repeated.

"Now while I'm in a good mood and since I know you didn't pick this posting if you have any questions now's the time. Fire away." He reached into his chest pocket to produce a packet of cigarettes before lighting one, afterwards he tossed Drake one and a lighter. He waved one at Watts but he silently declined. "So what do you want to know?"

There was a pause as neither marine knew who should speak first or what question to ask and after a minute Jacobs' patience was wearing thin. It was evident to both the Privates until Drake bit the bullet. "Why'd you pick the two of us sir? Maybe we impressed you out there but there were better men in our selection group, better shots at the range, fitter guys on the tab and better fighters in the sand pit. I know I shouldn't question your decision-making but its been messing with me all night."

"Sure there were stronger men out there and trust me you two are gonna need to do a lot more than that to impress me, but none of those little shits showed the same amount of heart that you two did on the tab. You remember Sergeant Harrid from last night?"

"Yeah, yeah the quiet guy, the raghead."

As soon as Drake uttered that last word Jacobs' arm moved like a lightning bolt as the back of his hand cracked off the young man's skull, pushing his headache into overdrive as stars began to dance in front of his eyes for a brief few seconds. "You ever call him that again boy you wont live fucking long enough to regret it, got it? I won't tolerate any of that racist shit in this battalion. Ever."

Neither of them said a word, they couldn't take their eyes off Jacobs who looked in that moment intent on murder.

"Now are you both still with me or do you need a flight back home to whatever shithole you came from."

Drake twisted his head as slowly as possible but still each minor movement drove the pain in his skull to nauseating new heights. "Yes sir we understand."

"Good," Jacobs pointed towards the cigarette lying on the floor its head still burning.

"Pick that shit up and don't waste it, now where was I?."

"Before we reached 202 we had this new recruit in the squad, Harrid at that time was just a scrawny little runt, green as grass both as a marine and as a person. Kid was quiet as the grave, still is pretty much but his skin colour and his faith got him truckloads of shit from everyone. One person in particular took it to the next level. Brandon..."

Jacobs chuckled but as he continued Drake noticed that he finally broke eye contact with him and Watts, he stared into a wall obviously disappeared into his memories as a haunted look grew in the Reaper's cold, hard eyes.

"...I cant believe I can still remember that prick's name. Anyway he talked shit to him any moment he could and our Sergeant let him away with it. Hell even I'll admit I gave Harrid my fair share but none of us ever got physical like Brandon did. Started slapping the kid on the head whenever he caught him during his prayer times and broke into his locker and pissed all over his gear."

"Through all this shit though Harrid never fought back then we fast dropped on 202 to defend that goddamn complex and I saw Harrid do something I'll never forget for the rest of my days."

Drake and Watts lay there listening to Jacobs tell his story like children listening to their father, too absorbed to even think of saying a word, giving equal attention to Jacobs's retelling of the notorious operation.

"After the third day we were finally forced to retreat inside the facility itself, we were taking too many close calls and casualties from mortars and snipers. Their mobile infantry didn't even attempt to try an advance that morning, guess they were still licking their wounds from the shitstorm we made them walk into. In the rush to get inside Brandon didn't hear the call to retreat, he was too busy putting fire down with one of the mounted guns, we left him behind and Harrid was the only one who noticed."

"He stopped me from sealing the door and ran back outside in the middle of a mortar barrage, we thought he was a dead man walking so we started to seal the door. These mortars were right on fucking target then they immediately stopped and the next thing we hear is small arms fire coming from right outside. So we reopen the airlock and here's Harrid dragging a legless Brandon firing his rifle one handed at a Uni squad who advanced under our noses during the mortar attack."

"We get them back inside and seal the door and I turn back to see Harrid trying to give the guy that gave him hell CPR even though everyone knew Brandon was dead. So you wanna know why I picked you two, because I need men who will do the impossible to save their brothers no matter what petty shit happens between them and you showed that where no one else did. There you happy now?"

Both young men lay there speechless to what they had heard, both wishing inside that they could show that level of bravery when the time came.

Jacobs looked at his watch briefly before dragging the pair of them out their seats, near throwing them towards the door. "Story times over kids get your asses in gear and lets get some chow, your training starts tomorrow and you'll never get breakfast in bed here so lets get fucking moving!" Jacobs screamed in their faces. "I got my own kid to take care of."

The 18th's mess hall was brimming full with personnel, every table was full and none were silent with every member of the battalion including the flight crews conversing, smoking and dining. 1st squad's table was no different apart from the inclusion of Jacobs' family and the battalion commander Major Briggs.

Veronica was the only one who noticed her daughter's seemingly magical power over the men and women of the battalion. She watched it now as Rain sat on Briggs' lap telling the squad of her 'what do your parents do for work' presentation. As always being her father's daughter she didn't sugar coat the details much to her teacher's dismay and her class's delight. She could see years come off from Briggs' face as he smiled and laughed he no longer appeared the grim, burdened leader of these trained killers but a happy grandfather sitting at the head of his family's table.

Part of her felt vindictive for taking Rain away from this, from them. This was the only place she ever saw Rain truly happy or any of her ex husband's men for that matter but as a mother she wanted Rain away from this life as much as herself. She was just a baby when the 18th returned from LV 202, she wouldn't remember her father barely able to walk out of that ship with that haunted look in his eyes. Or the months of rehabilitation and psychevals he had to go through and the constant arguments when his mood turned from explosive to his mind returning to whatever horrors he experienced on that planet. Every time she laid eyes on Jacobs she didn't see the man she fell in love with, he tried hard but she was the only one emotionally mature enough to realise that it would never work between them again.

Still she couldn't completely smother the smile that crept up on her as she saw Jacobs wander into the mess hall with the two new recruits in tow. Both of them looked exhausted but the taller, blond-haired one looked like hell. Apparently while over hearing a conversation between Cutter and Straven, the poor kid tried to beat Smith in a drinking competition last night. She still remembered the hangover she had after losing that contest herself years ago, the night after it she still had her head over the toilet while Ryan held her hair back.

"Christ boy you were gone long enough I thought you had to dress those two yourself." Briggs comment raised a few laughs from the table.

"Think he did by the looks of it lads, Drake get your arse over here!" Smith shouted and Drake obeyed, sitting next to the giant of a man Drake was equal in height but still Smith had nearly double of his bulk. "Now wee man since you were such a sport last night I decided to do the kind thing and buy you breakfast." He laughed mischievously as he dragged a plate in front of Drake containing a mixture of fried foods including eggs, sausages, bacon and beans

Camp Elder was the only one of its kind to distribute real, fresh ingredients, sourced from the agricultural biodomes on the outskirts of Haven, no soypro whenever they were on base. One of the few bonuses of being in a special forces battalion.

The table fell silent as they all practically watched the scents of the food enter his nostrils. Drake's stomach lurched tidal waves as the nausea overwhelmed him and in the space of a second he launched upwards from his chair to run to the restroom on the other side of the mess hall with 1st squad's laughter following him all the way.

"Props to him for holding it in all the way to the toilet." Emmett sniggered as he was playing with his food, stabbing the meal tray repeatedly with his combat knife. "Surprised you didn't drink last night newbie, you ain't gonna get another chance for a long, long while." Emmett directed towards Watts as he sat opposite him.

"Was never a fan of alcohol sir, always hated what it did to my dad, then it eventually killed him." Watts statement didn't show any emotion which raised a few eyebrows coming from someone so young but as always Emmett enjoyed making outsiders uncomfortable.

"You live long enough in this outfit that attitude will change I guarantee it. No matter how pissed you are about booze killing your daddy."

"Emmett!" Veronica exclaimed while watching Rain intently. "Mind the language with my daughter. Got it? She's picked up enough bad habits from you guys."

Emmett over executed a mock salute to her before looking at Rain. "Sorry doll."

Rain just smiled back while Watts said something that unexpectedly shut Emmett right up. "No sir I'm just upset his liver gave out before I could find him and kill him myself."

Everybody stopped eating at once with some having full forks inches from their mouths as they stared at him and the table sat in silence.

The Major burst out in laughter as he set Rain down off his knees to sit beside her mother.

"Jesus Son..." He said in between laughter looking at Jacobs. "...you know how to pick them don't you."

"I learned from the best old man." Jacobs replied as Briggs walked away, talking to someone on his comm line.

"So Boss what's the plan for today?" Straven asked.

"Well under the circumstances boys..." Jacobs halted as a ghoulish looking Drake staggered back from the restroom to a few cheers from the table. "...and how these two are in no fit state to start their training yet you've all got a free day but I want a few of you to show them around the rest of the base. Also get them acquainted with the Terragora, just so they aren't stumbling around if we need to make a fast jump and touch wood." He knocked on Watts' head with his knuckles. "We get an op sooner rather than later."

"Take it you're gonna be busy with the little devil." Devon chided much to Rain's annoyance.

"Hell yeah and if someone tries to ruin it I will most definitely kill them." He said with a subtle tone of anger in his voice as he bored his eyes into Veronica and her completely silent partner.

"Speaking of which Boss ten o'clock, possible contact." Camp spoke while he was tinkering with a scope on the table.

"Camp how the hell do you do that, you didn't even look up." Boomer remarked.

"Sniper's instinct, heads up." Camp replied.

Smith leaned closely to Veronica and Alan. "Lass you might wanna take Alan and the wee one away for a bit, get some more coffee, this might get heated."

As they headed away to the coffee dispenser the trouble Camp pointed out came to stand by the table. Standing just under six foot Sergeant Terah Wick was one of the most notorious of the marines serving in the battalion. With short highlighted hair, her face was pockmarked by scars obtained from grenade shrapnel, her most distinguishing feature was the cybernetic arm that replaced the one she lost on her left side. Painted black with tribal patterns scratched into it with a scalpel.

Though she only joined the Reaper's a few years ago she had earned the reputation of a fierce, effective rifleman and commander, a difficult task considering the calibre of marines she served with.

"So Jacobs you picked these two out quick, most of the battalion had bets of the selection lasting a bit longer but as always you surprised us and my, my." She smirked as she eyed both Watts and Drake from head to toe. "Aren't they impressive." It was plainly obvious to everyone the mocking sarcasm in her words. "Bet you too are so stoked to be even in the same room as all of us, must be wetting yourselves with excitement. From the looks of it though you can't even handle your drink properly." She smirked as she looked at the clearly hungover Drake.

"I'm warning you Terah don't." Emmett stood up staring her down.

"Jeez you two must be good at kissing ass if you've got this one sticking up for you. Just looking at them I know they're probably gonna take bullets for you guys." She pointed towards Watts, her face turning into a twisted smile. "This ones gonna take a round for you I think Grim,"

"Don't Terah." Jacobs muttered, he hadn't even made eye contact with her yet, he seemed too intent on eating his breakfast, throwing Strigou the occasional piece of bacon as this unfolded.

"Right through an artery I'm guessing, painful way to go but it only lasts a few minutes, oh don't worry they'll mourn you, until they get drunk and then the next day they'll recruit another FNG to replace you. Just preparing you son."

"I'm not your fucking son, ma'am" Watts replied with a growl as he shot out of his chair, he felt Cutter pat him on the back before dragging him into a chair.

"Sure look young enough to be…"

Before she could continue it was clear that Jacobs had heard enough. "You know Terah I still remember when you joined this battalion, you were green as grass too and eager at any point to impress, mind you that's when you were still whole." That last statement clearly hit a mark. "You replaced and old friend of mine, someone who I brought home to his family in pieces, you never cared about that though when you were trying to impress me."

He stopped for a moment to eat some toast, still at this point he didn't make eye contact, everyone who knew him meant that he was trying desperately to control his temper. "You were so eager to impress me that you defied my orders and stormed that room without backup, you may have lost your arm but your actions lost us two more good friends as they tried to save you. I think that makes you a good first lesson for these two." He looked towards Drake and Watts.

"Don't try to be the stupid hero or you might end up dead or worse you'll get your team killed, got that."

They nodded in unison as Terah said her piece. "They have no right being here..."

She didnt get a chance to continue as Jacobs slammed his fist into the table sounding a gunshot. "Sergeant shut the fuck up and sit down. That's an order."

She obeyed the order and sat down instantly without complaint.

"Look at me Terah." Jacobs ordered and she obeyed. "Danny's gone, I wish he wasn't but he is, now I know you two had a thing for a while. So what you fucked a few times, all of us here shared trenches with that man for a decade, we bled together, we killed together. You didn't have your hand inside his leg, clamping his artery as you felt the life fade from him, I fucking did. So don't you dare come here with your misplaced bullshit and anger, disrupting the only day I have with my daughter before she heads to the edge of space where I might never see her again. Understood?"

Terah sat in place silently with her hands in her lap like a school girl while Jacobs said all of this, the argument ended there. "I'm sorry Ryan."

"So am I Terah now get lost and please make sure that's the only shit I'm gonna have to deal with from everybody today."

She left the table without a word as most of 1st squad let out a sigh of relief that inevitable confrontation was over and done with.

"She had some nerve pulling that shit today." Emmett remarked.

"What you gonna do about it man spank her, tell her she's a bad girl then show her a good time?" Straven always liked taunting Emmett.

"Doubt our ambassador of friendship would need to, I bet you that arm of hers probably has a dildo attachment that goes faster than a rabbit sniffing coke." If there was ever a king of well timed jokes it was Jackson.

"Right lads back to having a good day then?" Smith said with a smile as he winked Veronica, Rain and Alan back over.

"Amen to that brother." Jackson said.

Before anything could continue though Briggs sped across to the table, leaning on their chairs, his face clearly stressed. "Ryan I know what I'm asking but I need 1st and 5th squad on the Terragora prepped for launch immediately." Everybody just laughed for a moment, they clearly thought it was a joke considering what was going on today. Jacobs figured it out long before the others did as he stared dreaded eyes into Briggs long enough to see it was no joke.

Jacobs leapt up from his seat to stand face to face with the Major "Your fucking serious old man, today of all days." Jacobs growled low.

"I'd pass this off on another squad if I could Ryan but I need my best EVA teams off world immediately. We have a credible local threat approaching orbit." He didn't say any more as he walked away and whistled loudly silencing the entire mess hall. "Listen up! Sanders I need you and the flight team to get the Terragora prepped for launch now! 5th squad go with them, 1st will be right behind you. The rest of you standby for incoming orders."

Veronica came over with Rain beside her. "Ryan what's going on?"

Jacobs sat still in his seat staring into the table without saying a word.

"Boss?" Camp asked genuinely looking for direction.

Rain wandered beside him and shook his arm. "Dad? What is it?"

He was still silent for a few moments before looking at his daughter and smiling weakly but everyone else could see the sorrowful, lost look in his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"Would somebody tell me what the hell's going on?" Veronica asked the others but they looked as confused as she did.

"I'm sorry V but I need them for an op and I need them now." Briggs sounded as guilty as he felt.

Jacobs lifted Rain onto his lap, kissing her forehead fighting a battle inside himself to even utter the words to start this dreaded conversation. "Angel I know this isn't what either of us wanted but I need you to be strong for me, I need you to say goodbye to everybody right now."

She was too young to process what he said quickly enough before he lifted her to the ground leaving her stunned by what was happening until the whole of his squad. Her uncles moved to give her a rushed goodbye as he tried to smoke away the hurt, he had to step away from the scene just to breath. He was quickly followed by Veronica, Alan and Briggs.

He couldn't look her in the eye as Briggs explained as much as he could to Veronica, the explanation didn't help either way. Despite the oncoming divorce a fearful sorrow was painted on her face, her eyes lost.

"How quickly can you get your ship ready for take off?" Briggs directed towards Alan who didn't fail to notice the brief murderous glance from Jacobs.

"Roughly an hour why Major?"

"I need you to cut this trip short and get the girls off world in case this goes wrong. Get it done as quickly as possible is that understood?"

"Yes Major I'll get my pilot on it now."

"Good man now if you'll excuse me I need to say my own goodbyes, V?" He hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry it has to be like this, be careful out there and no matter what happens you girls always have a home here."

Her emotions were running rampant as she embraced him. A part of her never wanted this moment to come but another part was grateful that she didn't need to fear its coming any longer. "Thank you Craig for everything. Please take good care of him." She whispered so only he could hear. "Don't let this break him."

"It's too late for that Veronica." He whispered back.

Jacobs was still in his own personal shock but he heard the tears from her at this goodbye, which only hammered home what he was losing. A clearly anxious Alan approached him cautiously.

"I know you have never liked me Ryan but I really wish it didn't have to happen this way."

Alan held out his hand to Jacobs and it took him all his willpower to grip it. "Just get them away from here Alan." As they shook hands Alan tried to retract his but Ryan pulled him close his eyes locked onto Alan's and his next words were on target. "Give her what I couldn't Alan and keep my daughter safe. I don't need to tell you what I'll do to you if you don't."

Alan merely nodded before stepping away as Briggs said goodbye to Rain and Veronica was staring at him, those eyes stabbing him with their beautiful punishment.

"Ryan?"

He felt his fingers burning as the cigarette burned out, a long stem of unattended ash limping over, ready to crumble just like him.

"I'm, I'm sorry V, I thought I'd have more time." He muttered.

"When will you ever learn Ryan, times never been your friend, besides I'm not the one you should be apologising to." Without warning she launched into him, hugging him as his shaking arms found purchase around her. "I'm sorry honey." She sobbed. "I'm sorry whatever we had is gone, I really am." Jacobs could tell she was fighting back tears. "But if one amazing thing came out of our marriage it's that little girl over there, I'll keep her safe but she needs her father to tell her this isn't the end of the world. She has her whole life ahead of her and I don't want all this holding her back down."

"I know. I know you have to do this but despite all the shit, forgive me for all my failings. I'll always love you." He couldn't help it, his usually indomitable control of his emotions made everyone who didn't know him believe he was a cold hearted killer. In reality though he was just a flawed man who had a shit hand dealt at the card game that was life. His will began to melt from his eyes onto her auburn hair as he looked to his daughter. She detached herself slowly from him, expertly wiping her own tears from her face without ruining her make up, a skill all women knew but a marine's wife performed it with surgical precision.

"You still got my number, don't want you forgetting me?" Jacobs knew the answer already.

"Yeah I've got it and how could I ever forget you." She spoke those same words from so long ago like it was yesterday, a knife pierced his heart.

"I dunno but I'd be crazy to forget you, make sure you get home safe."

"I will and if I don't make it home I know you'll find me." She said it with that same glint in her eyes, it only served to dig the knife deeper.

"Goodbye Veronica."

"Goodbye Ryan." Word by word they said their farewells as they did on their first date. Maybe it was a vow, maybe it was the final nail in the coffin he'd been building for himself for ten years. There was such a thing as love but all too often in this cruel existence it was torn from people, leaving them empty, or they destroyed it themselves believing blindingly that they could fix it with time. The latter left them eviscerated asking the shreds of themselves 'what if?'.

Veronica had made her way to the squad so they could say farewell to a sister, who had cared for them more than any of the women they tried to connect with, back when Jacobs still had time to fix it.

Standing in front of him was the result of all that love and the main receiver of his neglect, Jacobs grew up an orphan and when she was born he swore she wouldn't know the life he had lived but he failed her without even noticing it. She stared at him with those innocent eyes and at this moment he would rather let marauders torture him with their serrated, rusted instruments than have to say this goodbye, he didn't even know how to begin.

She simply cannoned into him, hugging him as tightly as she could as Briggs passed them by, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder as he whispered into his ear.

"I'll meet you up there, at least it'll give you a couple more minutes."

Jacobs wanted to unleash everything towards him, fist and voice, make him taste the pain that he was experiencing at that exact moment for being the figurehead of this tearing separation. That one gate of his defences still stood strong though holding back an inexhaustible rage, now was not the time. "Thank you."

He knelt down to her, wrapping her in his arms for what would no doubt be the last time for years, maybe ever again if death finally claimed him. He could feel her weep uncontrollably into his chest as he nestled his face into her raven hair.

"I'm so sorry it had to be like this honey, but there's nothing either of us can do, I have to go now."

"Why do you have to go? You always have to go, why can't you send someone else?" She cried as she hit his chest inside his guard, striking into a single point on one rib with her small hands. He let her continue until she tired herself out, exhausting her anger after which Jacobs moved her to arm's length becoming lost in her storm grey eyes, regretting letting Bruiser teach her how to box but at the same time hoped that the mark she left would never fade.

"You remember the story I told you of when me and the boys left out our ship to walk into space?" He asked as he wiped the continuous stream of tears and parted her hair behind her ear, her resemblance to her mother haunted him.

"Yeah of course I remember, to sneak up on the pirates." She said in between her failed attempts to sniff away her choking tears. He knew she remembered this particular story because it was one of her favourites.

"Well right now they need us to do that again to save lives because nobody else on the base right now is better at space walking than us, but you know what's even more impressive?"

"What?"

"Pretty soon your gonna beat us all at space travel, your gonna go farther into space than anybody on this whole planet, heck you might even see an alien, must be some wildlife on Horizon." He tried his best to force a smile but just saying that filled his broken heart with dread at the thought of the distance.

His attempt to make her feel any better plummeted from the skies like a shot down Cheyenne as she burst into another bout of tears. "But that means I might never see any of you again." As always when he wanted to say the right thing at the right time to the two girls in his life he fucked it up royally.

"Hey, hey, look at me sweetheart, please." Even heartbroken she looked exactly like her mother. "Rain I know I haven't been a proper father to you, I know I've let you down more times than I can count. I'm just… I'm just sorry I couldn't be strong enough to leave all of this behind and be a normal father to you but I just wasn't strong enough, this is all I know. What I'm trying to say is that I wouldn't be me in a desk job, I wouldn't be the dad you know." He faced down and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration as he struggled to find the right words and to not break down in front of her right now."

"I wouldn't of made it this long without you my little star, every time I'm light years away from you I fight with everything I have just so I can spend time with you once more. Even if it's for a day or a few hours I'll walk through hell just so I can play games with you one more time and realise how much your gonna rock this galaxy when you grow up."

He was satisfied he at least got a small smile from her at this point. "Your mom said you got me a present, can I open it before I go? If Santa says anything about it being early I'll shoot him."

Veronica brought her rucksack over to her and after a minute of searching in that treacherous maze she produced a small box.

Upon opening it he gazed at a silver skull pendant attached to a chain necklace, he couldn't help but notice the skull had the same menacing smile that he bore on his mask.

"She had the final say on what it looked like." Veronica smiled. "Open it Ryan."

He struggled at first with the mechanism but it split apart to reveal two photos. One was his and Veronica's wedding photo, he barely recognised his younger self, unscarred and full of hope. The next was of Rain. It was taken from the last time Jacobs was on leave, on the beach outside Mallek's beach house. She looked so happy there in the bright sunshine he thought, not tattered and torn like she was now. Close to being separated by the endless night of space.

He couldn't hold it together any longer and before he knew it he was on his knees, weeping as he drew Rain upwards. "Thank you, I'll never take it off." They had attracted a large audience as the Battalion drew themselves around the two hurting souls, through the storm of emotion Jacobs felt a hand brush the tears away from his eyes. It was Terah as she leaned behind him and rubbed his shoulder gently with her prosthetic hand, it didn't matter, the touch still felt human and reassuring to him.

"Ryan, I know this is the hardest thing your ever gonna do but you need to go." She said the words softly, he never heard her speak like that before. It made him wish all the more that this was all just a bad dream.

"I know."

"We'll make sure they get to the shuttle safe okay but there's no more time." As Terah spoke the finality of the moment ushered a brutal clarity to hammer down his foolish immature hope of something impossible.

He stared into Veronica's eyes pleading for help and instantly she knew what he wanted her to do, as she made her way over he ripped the dog tags from his neck and placed them in his daughter's hands.

"I'm gonna get those back one day." Before she could respond he raised himself up and walked backwards, she attempted to pursue him but her mother locked her arms around her forcing her to stay as she screamed after her father.

"I love you Rain." Jacobs shouted over her cries. Time was the greatest enemy of the living, more deadly than any weapon it killed everybody slowly over time but with the heart it was cruel. Time would rip apart a heart for as long as it still beat if given the chance. That was Ryan Jacobs' fate as he walked backwards to be swallowed by the crowd of ghosts, wraiths and reapers, finally he lost sight of his daughter for as long as time would torture.

Doom never looked so trivial, the Maivron was just a small blue dot on the holotable approaching the gigantic sphere that was Mars, dwarfing the ship's signal. To Jacobs' eyes though it all looked so harmless, the entire base was in a state of panicked frenzy over a small dot that appeared on this screen. He had just walked out of the last day he could spend with his daughter for possibly years because of a goddamn blue dot.

He knew better though, the Maivron was travelling at cruising speed just outside Mars' orbit, and within a few hours it would smack into a location near Haven with enough force to rival the nukes that the Terragora contained in its armoury.

That small dot was on a course to kill millions and continued to ignore all hails and showed no signs of slowing or averting it's course. At first Jacobs thought that the ship's hypersleep systems were malfunctioning, that the ship's crew were simply still in dreamland unaware of the fact they'd be taking another few million on the trip for eternity. But when he ordered a long range scan the sensors picked up no damage and more alarmingly no life signs, it was a ghost ship.

The options were limited, they could intercept and destroy the ship but at its speed and distance from the planet the risk was that the ship would merely break up into a cluster of smaller pieces and still cause a significant portion of the estimated damage. The only other option required skill, precision and a small dose of insanity, which was why Jacobs was standing idly in the control centre while the Terragora was being prepped for flight.

The plan according to Briggs was to get the Terragora out into the black and loop behind the Maivron then set an alignment course beside it and set up for an umbilical EVA. At those speeds though any slight flight adjustment would completely destroy the umbilical. With any luck they'd be able to somehow take control and slow the ship to a stop, the window of opportunity would be tight though.

As Jacobs stared at the panel he saw Briggs motion him into the soundproofed command room. Upon entering the room Jacobs ear piece crackled into life with Emmett's voice trying desperately to shout over the sounds of a ship engines. "Raven Actual will be ready in ten Boss, whatever the Major wants make it quick."

"Good." Jacobs replied. "I'll brief you all when we hit orbit, meet you in ten."

"Roger." The comm line went dead. Now to what Briggs wanted him up here for.

"Make this quick old man times a wasting." Jacobs nodded to Bishop who was sitting by a desk, occasionally scanning through his datapad.

"I know, to put it simply Bishop tracked the Maivron's origin port."

"So what?" Jacobs patience was already as thin as could be since leaving Rain.

Bishop stood up and raised a star map on the room's main screen "Major Briggs has informed me of the discovery of the Sulaco and the mystery craft. To determine the nature of this unorthodox threat I investigated its origin. The Maivron's flight path into the system closely resembles the Sulaco's and the Maivron is registered to the colony LV 202. It may be mere coincidence but the evidence is suspicious." Briggs expected a long pause from the Staff Sergeant.

He didn't get one as Jacobs simply walked towards the door and paused before leaving simply said. "Find out more and keep me posted."

"Yes Gunnery Sergeant." Bishop responded as he went back to his tablet.

"Good luck." Briggs said

"Luck left me when I left her." He stormed out the office without a goodbye and walked to exit the tower.

As he stood in the descending elevator left alone with his thoughts, he didn't dare think of Rain, that wound was too fresh, instead he couldn't help but notice for a brief second that something felt wrong with this op. The news of the ship's point of origin this was too much of a coincidence, what was worse was that his instincts were usually dead on. He touched the necklace Rain gave him tenderly. "Wish me luck sweetheart." Then he left the tower and began a swift jog to the docks.

As he reached the Terragora's dock her engines were in the final testing phase as they blew the settled dust hundreds of meters away. It was always strange boarding her without the full battalion. She was a ridiculous size for just transporting two squads but he never felt safer in any other ship apart from her. He saw Emmett and 5th squad's CO Sergeant Gavin Harley standing outside her main airlock, Harley walked forward shaking Jacobs hand.

"Glad to finally get on another op with you Ryan, I just wish it was under better circumstances."

"Trust me Gavin so do I."

"Don't worry too much about her buddy, her and her mother are tough as nails."

Jacobs gazed around wondering why they were waiting out here. "What's the hold up anyway, all the gears already on the ship."

"Those two." Emmett said, nodding towards Smith and Jackson as they walked up carrying two unusual looking pulse rifles.

"What the fuck are those things?" Jacobs couldn't take his eyes off of them, they had the shell of a regular pulse rifle but that's where the similarities ended: In place of the normal magazine was a massive drum, Jacobs estimated it must have held three hundred rounds while the barrel was actually two barrels that looked like they were ripped right of a smart gun. Either way it looked like a monstrosity to him.

"Presents from the gunsmith, one of his little projects." Jackson said as he hefted the weapon, noticing still that Jacobs wasn't convinced. "Well we cant take our smart guns on EVA's and we were sick of the small stuff." Smart guns were completely off limits for EVA missions for the simple reason of how cumbersome they were with the harnesses, they made it nearly impossible to manoeuvre effectively with them in zero gravity.

"The two barrels act as a recoil compensator, both muzzle breaks are designed so when one fires the rifle goes up and the other goes down with the next round, its installed with a cyclical fire system. Gotta tell you that big bald bastards a bloody genius." Smith smiled looking like a big kid with a new toy.

"I'm gonna sign him up for a psycheval whenever he next crawls out that armoury." The group was silenced as the base's PA system came online broadcasting Briggs' voice throughout everywhere within a mile.

"All available personnel are ordered to proceed to the docks, I repeat all available marines to the docks, we're evacuating Haven"

"What the hell is going on Boss?" Jackson asked.

"It's a contingency in case we fail this, I'll brief everybody once we take off, c'mon boys lets get this bitch in the air."

He was grateful in a way for the mission ahead, hoping that it would on some level pull his mind away from the pain. He gazed up at the giant raven painted on his ship, inwardly pleading that the black wings would fly him away from his nightmare. Once inside he greeted 5th squad and walked over to a seat to strap himself in for take off. He couldn't help noticing that one of their newer Corporals kept staring at him as he fondled his new necklace.

"What is it Corporal?"

"Sorry sir, its just that I've never seen a marine wear something from his family on a mission, my drill Sergeant always used to say it's bad juju.

"Kid," He fastened his harness. "I am bad juju."

Minutes passed in silence in the wake of Cormack's rage, the only sound breaking it was the slow, rhythmic dripping of blood from his ruined hand as it joined the massive pool surrounding the dead mercenaries that he sat in a chair beside. Trying to contemplate their next move. The others sat around the monitoring room, lost too in their own thoughts except from Anna who stared intently at the CCTV feed. During the failed rescue both herself and Daniel watched through the cameras seeing briefly what Cormack and Kellan suffered through inside. They had only seen brief glimpses of the alien creature but it was enough to draw a conclusion of what it was capable of.

If they were waiting for something to come to them it did, as a thunderous boom came from the airlock, Anna cried out but the other three were out of their seats with weapons ready in less than a second.

"What the fuck man!" Daniel shouted nervously.

"Its at the airlock." Anna called out, Cormack and Kellan rushed over to where she sat by the monitors, motioning Daniel to keep an eye on the door. This was the first time they were able to properly see what hunted them as it stood beneath the only light in the enclosure, right above the airlock door.

It stood at its full height at around eight foot tall, leaning its clawed hands on the door as it pressed it's face closer, it looked to them like it was smelling the door but whatever it was doing it could definitely tell that there was only two doors separating it from more prey. After a moment it began to smash its hands against the door, the metal construction served as an amplifier as the strikes sounded through the whole room. When the banging ended it pressed its whole body against the airlock door and let out a blood curdling scream that echoed through the entire sub level.

Once it had given up they watched it walk almost lazily to the right of the door, bypassing opposite of where they stood, at that moment a ragged, tearing screech sounded through the wall. They couldn't see it but the creature was simply dragging its claw's across the wall, tearing effortlessly into the metal two inches deep before it left to care for it's victims.

"I think it's gone." Anna whispered, listening closely in case it tried the airlock again, they others came to lean on the console behind her.

"Well I dunno about you guys but I've had it with this freakshow, sorry sir but I want out of this whole place, for good." Daniel said what everybody else was thinking.

"It isn't that easy." Anna pointed out.

"Bullshit it isn't I'll shoot my way out if I have to."

"Do you honestly think Charles let alone the company will let you live if you make it out of here, with all that you know." Kellan added.

"Then I'll got to the authorities, tell them all about the monsters that they plan to make down here."

"The authorities would incarcerate every single one of us for life, including you for taking part in this." Anna had to raise her voice over Daniel as an argument was on the horizon.

As Anna and Daniel shouted over each other Kellan noticed Cormack's absence as he stood silently, he knew exactly what he was doing and Kellan couldn't help but smirk as he knew what was coming next.

"Enough! Both of you shut up for a second and let me think." Cormack's mind was busy for another moment until he clicked his fingers. "I've got an idea, c'mon we need to move and fast."

They followed him without word, as they made their way through the connecting hallway to the elevator he let them in on his plan.

"We're going to assemble the rest of the men and place your brother under arrest, once we've done that then we will contact the authorities and inform the ICC of these things whatever the fuck they are."

"Great plan we'll still get arrested you know." Kellan said sarcastically

"Hear me out, the company never specified the details of the job when we signed the contract,"

"Right..."

"So when we get questioned we will just tell the truth, when we discovered the purpose of this place we saw the danger and as a joint decision our security outfit with assistance from Anna decided to do the right thing, we secured the base and informed the government."

"I dunno man as far as your plans go that's gotta be the sketchiest one yet, that'll never hold up in court." Kellan didn't sound like he was completely opposed to the idea but he didn't have much faith in it either.

"I'll get us the best lawyers that money can buy." Anna said and they all knew she definitely could. Upon hearing that Kellan's answer was instant.

"Okay I'm in."

"What about all the scientists and other employees? They won't have any sort of alibi." Daniel asked.

"Fuck them we may have been hired to protect them but we need to look after ourselves now." Cormack said as they reached the elevator.

Once the elevator started to ascend upwards towards the main hanger the men double checked their weapons just like they did on the way down, while Anna watched silently, content in the knowledge that she would finally be able to end her brother. Whatever happened to her father she'd at least never have to suffer under his son's torment, she loved her father but he had brought this upon himself, the anticipation of triumph overshadowed her grief.

Cormack tried to use his headset to order the rest of the men above to abandon their posts and meet them but mysteriously there was no response.

"Not getting through on mine either, might be interference."

"Whatever let's just get this done." Cormack said as the elevator came to a halt.

"We're with you brother, I'll get the cavalry and..."

Kellan's words were interrupted by the sight of ten rifle muzzles greeting the group as the doors slid open, each weapon was wielded by one of their own men with safeties off and laser sights aimed dead centre into their chests. Standing in between Cormack's mercenaries was one of his lieutenants Garrett with his hands placed behind his waist and Charles who stood in between two of the shooters with his elbows rested on each of their shoulders with a twisted, sinister smile.

"What the hell is this Garrett!" Cormack demanded, standing in front of the others, Kellan and Daniel both had their weapon's raised but Cormack knew there was no way in hell they could take down ten guns.

"I'm under orders to detain you and Kellan immediately." Garrett answered without a hint of remorse in his voice from his change in loyalty.

"Fuck orders I'm your boss and I want him arrested!" He moved forward a few steps but the two shooters in the centre pressed forward until the muzzles of their pulse rifles pressed against his chest.

"Your position in our company has been given to me. Miller, Stone and Navek have all been detained and relieved of command too, don't make this any worse than it has to be."

"You son of a bitch." Kellan growled, he aimed his pulse rifle towards Garrett. "The three of us fucking served together for years, Jacobs would have killed you if we didn't get you out back then."

"I made the best decision for myself back then and I'm doing it again, we fight for money now Kellan and I've been made a better deal, it's that fucking simple."

"Thought you could outplay me, didn't you Cormack." Charles laughed as he moved forwards a step, pretending to brush dust from his suit. "Leaving Mendez down there was really just a little experiment of mine, a test if you will of the alien's abilities but as I can see from your two missing comrades it passed with honours, is it dead?"

"Why don't you go down and find out you psychotic piece of shit." Cormack was looking him dead in the eyes, he'd stared into the eyes of many men, dead and alive but he couldn't explain what he saw in Charles'.

"No, no James that's where your wrong, it's more comfortable for you to label me insane. I just have a different drive than everyone else, I look at the bigger picture that your ignorant eyes are blind to, that and I'm just plain old selfish." He sniggered with the face of a mischievous boy who hadn't done anything bad, yet.

"You get pleasure causing others pain Charles." Anna finally spoke.

"Ah my dear sister I forgot you were there, but anyway lets not be hypocritical, I saw the footage of you down there while I was checking on father, he's fine by the way. You came alive down there didn't you, controlling the situation. Don't deny it there was a slight piece of you that felt good when you pointed the gun at that scientist, the rush of adrenaline as you pressed it into his head, one trigger pull away from killing him. I was so proud of you. All the men around us do it for a living so they must enjoy it, actually come to think of it, I'm in the wrong career, you boys hiring?" He asked jokingly, Garrett and some of the shooters laughed, their performances were so good that Anna didn't know if they were faking it for Charles' convenience or it was genuine.

"Anyway I have a tight schedule, Garrett?"

"Yes sir?" He answered not taking his eyes off Cormack.

"Detain them, kill the kid."

Anna was positioned on the right side of the group behind Daniel who at this point was the only one left with his weapon raised as Kellan lowered his a moment before. All she heard was a single gunshot and before she could blink she was blind. Her disability took her brain by surprise as she felt herself hit the cold floor hard, hearing Cormack and Kellan curse and struggle before she heard them being hit and their rage was silenced. Automatically she reached for her eyes, feeling warm blood and soft, mushy pieces over her face, blinking and wiping she gazed at Daniel's face or what was left of it. His upper cranium and the area where his right eye should have been was completely gone, it had cast itself all over the floor, and all over her.

She begun to shake frantically, her breaths coming out in barely containable whimpers as she tried to wipe pieces of Daniel from herself, as she looked at her hand she could see a small fragment pierced into her palm. It was a piece of his skull, realising this she begun to hyperventilate as one of the mercenaries grabbed her roughly, trying to force her forward, her psyche was near snapping as instinct took over. She screamed in helplessness as she tried to escape his grasp but he held her firmly, afterwards she wrapped her hands around his neck so tightly her thumbnails began to pierce the skin. He cried out in pain, pushing her away and striking her with the back of his hand, flooring her swiftly as she fell on top of Daniel's body.

She recovered instantly, the adrenaline coursing through her in waves, she reached out grabbing Daniel's pulse rifle and she rolled around to aim at the mercenary, the last thing she saw though was the stock of his rifle before her mind fled into her unconscious.

Sometime later a stark bang pulled her from the dark her eyes struggling to open, the lids sticking, gummy from the partially dried blood emanating from her head wound. Her vision swimming as she attempted to rise from the cold metal floor, the nausea was overwhelming as she half collapsed again, this time her back was against a wall. While her sight was impaired she could still hear shouting and screams of pain from voices so familiar and more hauntingly she heard laughter. Slowly by the minute and by the scream her vision began to clear, she could make out sitting figures laid out in a row before a single man, the laughing man, the voices and their words were more distinct too.

"Take these ties off you piece of shit and we'll see who fucking laughs, I'll fucking rip you apart!." The volume and tone of that voice, triggered the adrenaline in Anna's body as she remembered her situation.

"I would Cormack but the outcome would be the same, just not this fun." It was Charles, he was the laughing man, finally her vision cleared, she wish it hadn't though. Cormack and the rest of his lieutenants, the loyal ones anyway were strapped to four chairs, Kellan, Navek and Stone. Miller or what was left of him sat slumped at the far end of the row, half his face was gone, splattered against the back wall, blood and brains still dripping down. In Charles hand rested Cormack's pistol with the muzzle still smoking.

Her consciousness was noticed as Charles raced towards her with a child's delight in his eyes. "So good of you to join us sleeping beauty." He crouched down, laying the handgun on the floor as he cupped her face, examining her head wound. Instantly she lunged for the weapon but she was so weak his strength overpowered her as he pinned her against the wall, slapping her light enough to not knock her out again but just enough.

"No, no, no, your not a participant in this, not yet, your just an observer and I can't have you falling asleep again so here." He grabbed her head tightly biting the end off a white capsule before holding it under her nose. Fire shot up her nostrils into her head, locking her into the present horror with chains of iron. Happy with the results Charles stood back up, walking towards the others with the gun still aimed at Anna's head.

"Garrett told me these would come in handy," He crouched down in front of Stone's chair, tapping the barrel of the pistol against his knee. "He also told me I have a certain reputation among everyone here." Sniggering he leaned close to Stone's ear and said: "Trust me I'm worse." He fired twice into both of Stone's kneecaps, Anna cried out loudly as she saw blood and bone splash against the floor, she wasn't heard though. Stone's cries of pain rang through the room, climbing above the others' rage and fear.

Stone began to faint from the shock and Charles left his used toy, the bullets pierced both arteries as the floor began to pool with blood, he died not long after.

"I like this gun Cormack, nice action to it, something tells me this originally wasn't yours though, seems too artistic for you. Guns are too quick though, despite a kind of poetry there's no real connection in it. Now a knife," He picked up a serrated combat knife from the table, the light glinting from it's stainless steel blade as the others watched, preparing for the worst. "I bet you get to know the victim better with a knife, you see what they're made of." He wrapped gags around both Kellan and Cormack's mouths, they near tipped themselves trying to fight against it.

"You two are ruining things so please be quiet." Without another word he smiled as he stalked towards Navek, the biggest of them and began the torture. His screams became background noise to Anna as she watched the cutting begin, it was slow and slight at first. Shallow cuts along his meaty limbs, barely drawing blood, soon after the cuts started getting deeper, slicing into the muscle before the stabbing started. First it was in the shoulders, deep into the joint, the blade scraping against the bone, with identical wounds in both shoulders Charles began the next phase. Lowering the knife he took out two of the white capsules, biting off the ends before he jammed both deep into the wounds, smiling into Navek's face as he screamed back in agony. His screams were cut short as Charles grabbed the knife and sliced open Navek's throat.

"Charles, stop!" Anna said, without thinking she stood up unsteadily, before she took another step her brother picked up the pistol and charged forward, jamming the muzzle into her forehead.

"Don't make me do it Annabelle, your only going to live through this if you do everything I say, understand!"

She nodded meekly, tears of fear, stress and pain began to streak down her face, he delicately brushed them away.

"Don't cry sister, this isn't the end for you, I have big plans for you, don't ruin it, please." He walked away to begin on Kellan. "Such a waste of talent, I would rather you all understood the bigger picture and stood beside me. You look at me right now and you see a monster, what are soldiers if not monsters, you live your life for the taking for life. Don't deny it, you enjoy killing people for a cause you have no say in. Never the less I won't waste my breath any more justifying my actions to hypocrites."

He lifted the gag from Kellan's mouth who looked at Charles with such hatred his eyes seemed to burn with it. "Your just a psycho son of a bitch." He growled before spitting in Charles face.

He wiped the saliva away and snapped, kicking Kellan in the chest, he fell backwards hard as Charles rounded to stand beside him. Shaking with anger he began to stomp Kellan's head, over and over again, constantly screaming. One stomp crushed Kellan's windpipe, killing him instantly but still Charles' barrage never halted. Anna watched as Kellan's face disappeared into a crimson, white mush, in silence she couldn't avert her eyes. He only stopped when their was nothing left to crush, teeth were scattered around the floor, a piece of jawbone was still visibly intact as Charles spat upon it.

He stalked around the room, still visibly shaking with anger until eventually he slumped against the wall opposite Cormack, staring eye to eye with him while he caught his breath.

"Now what am I going to do with you. Garrett told me to not take any chances with you but there's one thing I haven't tried yet." He smiled glancing towards Anna. "How much do you love him?" She didn't reply, her legs were tucked in her arms, shaking violently with fear, her eyes never leaving the ground. "Hey! Fucking answer me. Do you love him!"

She never looked towards Charles, she stared into Cormack's eyes. "Yes I love him."

"Would you do anything to protect him from harm?"

"Anything." She said without a split second of doubt.

"Good, prove it." He rose up to kick Cormack over, his gag came off with the impact. "Stay away from her! You want me Charles fucking kill me, leave her!" he shouted as he faced Anna who huddled in the corner as Charles approached. He grabbed her tightly, wrestling her to the ground as she cried and threw her arms in protest but still he won quickly. Crouching behind her he forced the gun into her hands, making sure she couldn't let it go.

"Please, please, don't." She began wailing openly, tears muddled her vision. Charles moved her index finger inside the trigger guard, slowly pressing it closer and closer to the trigger itself.

"You said you would do anything to keep him from harm." He whispered softly in her ear, holding her tightly in this murderous embrace. "If you can't do this, I'll make him suffer, it'll last days until he's nothing but a husk of the man you love."

"I can't, please I just cant."

"Anna! Anna look at me!" Cormack shouted at her, he knew he was dead already, ignorantly he didn't think of what it would do to Anna to go through with this but he knew she was in danger too if she didn't. Their eyes never left each other in that moment, he simply just smiled in a moment of comfortable finality. "It's okay babe, it's real easy, just remember what I taught you, squeeze don't pull." His eyes flickered from hers to the dark muzzle of the pistol, it wasn't his originally, he wondered for a second if it's first owner would enjoy knowing his pistol would be the one to kill him. "I love you Anna."

The gun shook in her grasp as she fought inwardly, reason nearly won, it would be a quick death, it would be her's to control and not a long and tortured one by her brother. He pressed her finger onto the trigger as it started to give way and she steeled herself. "I love you too." She squeezed hard without Charles physical influence, in the blink of an eye her love disappeared underneath the muzzle flash, all that was left was blood. She couldn't accept the image as Charles let go, grabbing the pistol before walking away, leaving his final victim lifeless and detached, mentally retreating into somewhere before the horror.

He seemed to ignore her mental state as he inspected the blood covering his suit. "Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty in life Anna but from this experience I must say, I prefer having someone kill on my behalf rather than doing the act myself. It's much less messy." Knowing the damage was already done he wiped the bloodied gun clean on his jacket. "I'll have Andrew come to take you to your quarters, he'll take care of you, you'll thank me for this some day, I know right now you don't understand but you will. I love you my dear sister and I'm proud of you."

He left the room without another word, Garrett waited outside with another two mercenaries. He took a step back as he saw the amount of blood on his suit as Charles tossed him the pistol.

"Take good care of it Garrett I might need it again someday." He said with a smile as he headed towards the second broken member of his family.

Anna lay alone with the dead for nearly another hour until Andrew entered the room, gazing at the carnage, with something akin to shock and disgust at seeing the humans with their operating systems splayed all over the floor. He slowly and quietly pulled Anna up as he led her around the corpses and out of the room. She didn't quite know where she was or where she was going, all she could see was Cormack's face staring into hers before she killed him. It was all just a bad dream, the monsters were everywhere, in the light and the dark, above the surface and below.


	10. Chapter 9: First Contact

_"_ _We viewed space with the immaturity of a greedy child. We wanted so desperately to escape the shadow of our dying star. Our solar system was simply a used piece of infinity, Each new star was a beacon of our complacent hope in the treasures of our new frontier. We believed so wholeheartedly that it was all ours for the taking_. _We believed that we were destined to conquer the millions of pinpricks in the black canvas of the cosmos. The counter of our arrogance rested in the bowels of that ship, they embodied judgement of our misplaced sense of immortality and destiny._

 _Only a few of us knew of that ship and the events that occurred after it's discovery until our world came crashing down. We didn't know that our greed invited them, we were all too busy surviving. Some said they were a monument to the sins of humankind. Maybe they were right_

 _We would never admit it but we are both equal in a way, we spread our seed across the universe to rape and conquer any world we touch but these avatars of death were ancient compared to us and in their own twisted way, beautifully perfect."_

 _A piece from the memoirs of an Earth survivor._

December 24th 1900 hours, CIC Tower, Camp Elder, Mars.

Briggs knew he was in for a long night, standing amongst the rows of terminal desks in the tower his eyes and ears struggled to absorb even half the information that was being relayed. The Terragora was already off world so it was only a matter of time, he had faith in his men, they would do their part without fault or complaint. The problem was the evacuation of Haven. It wasn't like evacuating a school of a few hundred where you could just bus them away to another building. The major problem was where to house all the civilians if the worst happened, Camp Elder couldn't cope with even a quarter of the city's population. A refugee camp was possible but it wouldn't survive the first sandstorm, the situation if not contained was well and truly fucked up beyond all recognition.

He let out a painful sigh while rubbing the bridge of his nose, the stress was killing his sinuses, he could cope with any operation against a hostile force. The second civilians got involved though he'd gladly hand over control to someone else. The political ramification of civilian deaths or 'collateral damage' as the generals called it was already on the battalion's doorstep. Senator Adam Rickshaw was at this moment filing procedures to investigate the Reapers for the Siege on the civilian transport ship Nataro. Court martials were rumoured but if his men stood idle it would have been a bloodbath. Better to lose some than to lose them all.

One of the intel personnel came over with a steaming hot cup of coffee, handing it to him before rushing away to another duty. Briggs couldn't even nod in thanks because they left so quickly. He was grateful for it, sipping on the coffee at least gave his senses an escape for a few seconds, it didn't last long though.

"Tough day at the office Major?" A male voice sounded off behind him, turning to see the voice belonged to a short, thinly built middle aged suit. The first thing he checked was the visitor's badge, Briggs swore inside, he couldn't bear any distractions right now. He just wanted to kick the bastard out.

"Can I help you?" Briggs asked before taking another sip.

"Yes you can, I'm here on behalf of..."

"Good for you, as you can see I'm busy so fuck off." Briggs turned away from him without another word, thinking his ignorance would win for him. He realised after leaving the academy in his youth that he had no patience for the political game expected of officers. He'd rather be in the trenches with his troops than to mentally play his hand with these spineless wretches.

"Admiral Jordan told me you were rough around the edges, if you'd like I'll call him."

Away from the suit's sight Briggs rolled his eyes and vented his breath heavily. Admiral Jordan was always suspected by the lower officers of being on the corporate payroll. Like it mattered, somehow the money-makers always managed to sleaze their way in to places they don't belong ethically.

"No thanks I don't need any more useless people taking up space in my ops centre. Now what do you want?"

"I'm here on behalf of Gencorp. The Maivron is our property and concerning the situation we have a financial interest in what happens to it. I won't interrupt I'm simply here to observe and offer any information required."

"I take it your here to request recording's of whatever my men see?"

"That's not necessary Major, the footage will be streamed to my superiors in real time."

"Any footage of this battalion is classified."

"Admiral Jordan signed off on it before your men even left the planet."

"Just stay out of our fucking way." Briggs growled as he dragged a chair to the back of the room, slamming it down. The show of force did nothing as the suit sat on the chair as calm as he would sitting in a cushy office back on Earth.

Briggs tried to quell the rising tide of anger inside him, draining the rest of his coffee in one go. He had too many things on his plate at the moment to deal with this corporate pissing match. Let them have the footage, all it would consist of would be his men clearing an empty ship.

December 24th 2100 hours, The USS Terragora, Closing in on Mars orbital airspace.

Jacobs dreams were as chaotic as would be expected of a marine of his experience and years, it didn't matter how much training took over when the shit hit the fan, the horror, the brutality, his brain couldn't help but record everything. Every life he took, from five hundred meters to face to face, every brother and sister ripped apart before his eyes by mankind's gifted engineering of murder.

The Reapers' official records showed far more successful missions than failed ones, that's all the generals and politicians seemed to care about. If the Corps had a mission where mass casualties were expected they sent the Reapers. To Jacobs though most were failures, though only a Gunnery Sergeant in the battalion, no one could dispute that it was Jacobs that held them together. Only visible to the rare few who truly knew him, the responsibility was crushing, every fallen Reaper's tags hung on a wall in the Pit to show respect but in reality it was Jacobs that carried them all, hung around his soul. He had told himself so many times that he would leave the Corps and become the family man that Veronica had needed but deep inside he knew it would never happen.

He couldn't bear the thought of leaving his brothers and sisters behind to face death without him. His reputation as a cold, brutally efficient killer which the entire battalion gained it's identity from was another unwanted burden. He didn't enjoy the taking of life, he joined the Corps originally to guarantee a position within the police, he wanted to protect people. The past ten years had changed him though, he perfected his craft without the desire for it and now it was all he was suited for. Such was usually the case for good leaders that they never revelled in their power, they suffered under it.

His perfect storm of unconscious violence was gratefully disrupted as Emmett shook him awake, rising up in an instant, his hand grasping at his empty pistol holster. He relaxed as he recognised his surroundings, rubbing the sleep from his eyes he looked up to an expression that Emmett rarely wore on his pockmarked face, genuine care and concern.

"Time to wake up brother we're gearing up, better get your shit together."

"How long till we're hooked up to the Maivron?" Jacobs asked, still seeing flashbacks of the past.

"Ten minutes, c'mon I'll help you get your suit on. You good?"

"Fucking perfect, let's just get this shit done."

"Here," Emmett handed him a headset. "Sanders has an update for you."

"Is it serious?"

"Might be nothing but it might change the nature of the mission if he is right."

Jacobs quickly adorned the headset, hearing the comm line come alive with Sanders' insufferable humming. "Cut it Gloves and tell me what's going on." Gloves was Sanders nickname that the ground pounders gave him on account of his fascination with a pair of leather fingerless gloves he never flew without.

"This might turn into a rescue mission Gunney,"

"Bullshit, scans indicated this was a ghost ship," He hated last minute complications to a mission like this, even small things just rocked the boat too much to be a good thing.

"Look what do you trust more a scan by a regular intel guy from thousands of miles away or the me who is now literally twenty kilometres away and closing."

"Okay I hear you, how many life signs did you find?"

"It's not a life sign, the Maivron's EEV is still attached to the ship, I ran a systems diagnostic and someone tried to launch the life boat but the docking release arms are malfunctioning which means..."

"Someone tried to escape so there might be a survivor in the hyper sleep pod."

"Precisely."

"Okay give the signal when we are aligned."

"Roger."

He gazed around the armoury as his squad worked in pairs to get their combat EVA suits adorned, the suits weren't like the bulky ones that were used by civvies or regular marines. These were as slim as could possibly be, they had more in common with sea diving suits than EVA suits. As such each man had their suits specifically measured to fit their bodies like a second skin, the slimness allowed the use of combat webbing for extra ammunition to be carried as well as other equipment especially armour. The headpiece wasn't a 'fishbowl' either as they were commonly known, it was a pressure sealed unit made of the same material as their armour pieces with a thin visor, providing decent protection while retaining visibility.

Jacobs couldn't help but notice Watts and Drake sitting nervously in one of the back benches fully equipped with their weapons and plain black armour, watching the others as their knees moved faster than a pulse rifles firing rate.

"What the fuck are you two so nervous about? Your staying here."

"But Sir we thought we would be coming with you through the umbilical." Watts replied as Drake nodded with him but they were answered only by a mocking laughter from their new comrades, much to their confusion.

"We don't insert with umbilical lad especially with what little intel we've got. I'm not putting this bloody suit on for comfort." Smith answered them as he loaded his monstrosity of a machine gun. "They don't cover covert spacecraft insertion in basic do they? If we were engaged in the umbilical a stray round could breach the wall and cause catastrophic explosive decompression, completely fucking us and possibly the ship too. Not to mention that if we attached right now and the Maivron changed it's speed the same thing would happen."

"So how do you get over there?" Drake asked.

"Easy kid, we jump." Jacobs said with a devilish grin. "Your gonna watch us clear the ship and if we can stop the ship, then you can come over on the umbilical and help so we can bring it back home and let the intel boys do their thing."

Once everybody was suited up, armed and ready to go, Watts couldn't tell who was who apart from the etchings scratched into their armour and the weapons they bore, even their voices were coldly distant in their helmets. Harley and the half of his squad on the ship arrived in the locker room to join them. At this point they all looked more machine than man, and so they should for nothing living would dare to simply jump out into the void. One mistake would lead to a lonely demise among the infinite abyss of the stars.

"Everyone knows the drill and you sure as shit know I ain't giving out any speeches," Jacobs barked as he loaded his pulse rifle. "Emmett you take your team and clear the front half of the ship and see if we cant bring this bitch to a halt, I'll take the rest and see if Gloves is right. Harley you and your team get the ass end as always and prep her to blow if all else fails, any questions?" As he expected of them no one raised their voice, they couldn't see it behind his helmet but he smiled with pride, he wouldn't attempt this suicidal manoeuvre with anyone else and after today's drama he needed the distraction.

Everyone began to file out of the armoury until it was just Jacobs left with the two privates, he eyed them coldly from behind his mask. "Head to the Sanders and the flight team on the bridge, you'll be able to see everything through our camera's. Understood?" They nodded quietly like a pair of school children, it only served to aggravate him more. "And pay fucking attention! Watch everything we do and learn, this isn't a vacation day." Without waiting for a reply he swiftly turned to join his brothers in their leap of faith.

A few minutes later both squads stood ready as ever in one of the smaller personnel airlocks, every one of them glued in place by their magnetic boots. They stepped aside, making way for their comrades carrying forward the two magnetic line launchers, snapping both in place. Everyone checked each other's suits in a buddy system making sure they were safe for vacuum. "We all good?" Jacobs asked and received nods from everyone before patching through to Sanders. "Gloves we're ready, open it up."

"Roger, venting now." A second later a deafening hiss tore through everyone's ears as atmosphere was sucked from the airlock. When the process was complete all they could hear were their own breaths from inside their helmets and the solid thud of their boots gripping the floor. The outer lock opened unceremoniously and the endless expanse revealed itself to them. Sanders had aligned the ship till it was only a hundred metres away from the Maivron. For a brief second everyone just watched as both ships speared themselves across the black sky.

"This shit still turns me on, no matter how many times we do it." Jackson's voice came through on the open channel.

"Speak for yourself Jackson my dick couldn't move in this suit even if it wanted to." Harley replied." Now I know why you can't get any action, always knew that muscle was compensating for something."

"Can it you two." Emmett cut in. "Set the hook boys."

They fired the launchers and the two lines sailed across the gap, checking both lines were tight and secure the first two Reapers hooked on and leapt across the abyss, without a word despite their lives tied to a thin metal wire. Once they hit the other side they flipped a thumbs up to signal the okay. Activating the small magnets in their gloves before they began to crawl on the Maivron's skin towards its airlock, in pairs the rest of both squads took their leap of faith across. When it came time for Jacobs to jump, he couldn't help but notice his men already surrounding the airlock, lying in wait. To him it looked like the Maivron was a decaying dead body being surrounded by a swarm of crawling flies trying to find a way in to the corpse. He clipped his harness onto the line and froze solid, he never froze, it was an almost criminal act for an operator in the middle of a mission but he just couldn't seem to push himself forward.

He simply gazed out to the stars, to infinity, thinking how he'd just abandoned her to this harsh and treacherous galaxy. For a moment he was his old self before it all, he wanted to leave this all behind and protect her on the new frontier where he could try again at being a father. That dream was snuffed as quickly as it began, he turned behind to see Emmett simply nod his head. He didn't see his brother in arms, only the skeleton face of death he bore on his helmet, smiling back it's menacing sneer as Emmett did the brotherly thing and pushed him out into the black. In his head he thanked Emmett for what he had done, for a moment all sense of weight and worry was lifted from Jacobs as he drifted across the gap before he landed on reality and the Maivron on all fours.

Tool floated beside the airlock as he cut into it's controls, completely oblivious to his impatient squad mates surrounding him. Most of them had always said he was more machine than man, it didn't matter if it was tinkering in his garage with his now ex wife screaming in his ear or bypassing a lock with rounds passing by him, he never let it interfere with his work. A minute later the airlock doors slid open without anything launching out the ship indicating its lack of pressure. Being closest Tool pulled himself into the dark opening swiftly. Something floated across him, blocking his light, instinctively he grabbed it and used his forward momentum to push them both against a wall while he reached for his pistol. Whoever it was, she was clearly dead as Tool brushed her long, bloodstained blond hair away to discover a large cranial wound that bored directly into whatever was left of her brain. The others swarmed in with haste until eventually the last one in did the honour of sealing them in this moving tomb. There was barely space for all of them in the airlock as they floated over each other, staring at Tool and his new girlfriend.

"Knew you liked redheads Tool but that's just fucked up." Kristof, one of Harley's riflemen joked.

"I know I said it ain't necrophilia if they're still warm buddy but your seriously late to this party." Cutter added in.

"Shut it, both of you." Camp whispered as he drifted forward, taking her from Tool as he examined the wound, ignorant of the blood as it floated around him, splashing silently as it rolled around his armour as fresh as the moment it left her body.

"This wasn't caused by a firearm, or any weapon I recognise for that matter, looks like it punched through her skull and took out whatever it damaged."

"Maybe our possible survivor went bat shit crazy and killed everyone. Was just an idea." Bruiser pitched in as they started to move out the airlock. They needed to split up quickly, M class ships weren't known for their spacious interiors, thankfully this was an updated model with larger interiors, even though they were alone complacency was suicide to a soldier.

"Comms check Gloves, you reading all of us?" Jacobs had his head back in the game and followed procedure.

"Roger that, no interference and all the camera feeds are good."

"The ship was vented before we inserted and we have a body. Something else killed her."

"Roger that, everything is being relayed back home."

"Good, we'll keep you appraised" Jacobs reactivated his mag boots as he sunk to solid footing, instantly everyone followed suit. He tapped Harrid's shoulder. "Your on point brother. Jackson your coming with us, might need the extra muscle to secure this civvie if they have went crazy Let's get this done people."

As one they streamed out into the ship moving as silently as ghosts moving towards each of their objectives. The ship's decks were engulfed in near complete darkness but it didn't hinder them at all as the stalked through the halls aided with night vision. Their motion trackers showed movement everywhere, as such they were useless, every loose item on the ship would be setting them off. Everything from food to paperwork drifted around them as they moved forward, even the torn bloodied rags of what used to be clothing were brushed aside by their advance.

On their way to the bridge Emmett's team cleared every room wordlessly, all the hours in the kill house back on Camp Elder showed as their training kept them on a synchronised autopilot. One room caught their eye though as they searched it, it was the ship's main bunk room. Fitted with enough beds for a crew of over ten including lockers and two open plan shower cubicles. This should have been a place of rest for the hard working inhabitants, instead it was a bloodbath. Upon entering they found one of the bunks completely saturated with dried blood with a trail that led to a torn open vent nearby, the blood's dryness indicated that whatever happened here was before the ship lost gravity.

"The fuck happened here?" Cutter whispered as he traced his hand up the wall. "No one could survive losing that much blood."

"Never mind that, why the hell is it leading into the vent?" Marty asked but he wasn't even sure he wanted to know. "Looks like somebody got dragged in there." He approached the closed vent and tried to pry it open but it failed to budge. "Mallek you want to give it a try."

The big Maori nodded and grasped at the small gap, his exertion could be heard through the Bravo team's channel. Eventually it gave way and he peered inside to pure darkness. even with his night vision he couldn't see. He switched it off and activated the flashlight on his weapon and aimed it inside. He saw the inside walls were completely painted in blood and torn clothes were snagged into grooves in the vent's surface. "More blood in here, no body though." He lowered himself back down completely unaware of what had lurked in the vent just before he turned his light on, staring back without eyes and a deathly grin.

They exited the bunk room and continued to the bridge without incident but they couldn't ignore the haunting atmosphere of the ship. Every so often they could hear something heavy move through the ship close to their position but nothing ever crossed their path apart from debris. The door to the bridge was only slightly open when they reached it, an open gap of only a few inches. The rest of the squad covered the rear as Tommens and Mallek got to work trying to open it fully.

"Can you get it open?" Emmett asked as he examined the dents and deep cuts on the door along with what looked like burn marks but not ones caused by any tool he knew.

"Give us a minute, controls are completely fried and the servos must be stuck in place. For fuck sake!" Tommens gave up on the door for the moment as he shook the cramp out his arms. "Marty, Dacker give us a hand here."

"Looks like someone went at this thing with an axe." Dacker grunted while they strained at the door.

"Even if Smith hit this door with an axe he would barely put a dent in it." Emmett added as he tried to peek through the gap in the door but it was too dark even for his goggles. A few seconds later the squad's physical effort paid off as the door began to slide open, once the initial few inches passed the servos eased off and the rest was easy.

Emmett was the first in with his light on, quickly followed by the others as they slithered through the walkways of monitors and seats until they found a body. Tucked under one of the desks, nestled against the window with a large wound emanating from his chest. Once the bridge was fully cleared they gathered around the body as Cutter pulled him out from under the desk.

"Doesn't make any goddamn sense." Cutter mumbled as he examined the wound.

"Speak up Cutter. This op is getting stranger by the minute."

"I heard that." Tommens cut in.

"Look at the angle of the ribs, they're protruding outwards."

"Punched out not punched in." Emmett commented.

"Exactly." Cutter probed further, pushing his hand directly into the corpse's chest cavity. "The organs have been severely damaged too, something was eating this poor bastard from the inside.

"What the hell happened on this boat?" Mallek thought out loud as he looked around, his eyes following the dried blood trail leaving the body as it travelled in the direction towards the door they'd just opened.

Jacobs and his team moved through the decks without incident but he couldn't help but shake the nagging feeling that they were being watched, no matter how much he shook it off. They reached the EEV's access lock but Tool couldn't retract its release arms despite numerous attempts.

"Sorry Boss but nothings working."

"In your head more like," Jackson laughed "just admit you fucked the bypass."

"Would you like to try dipshit, someone completely killed the systems on this tug." Tool explained. "Without power I can't do anything."

"So Its a waiting game then?" Jacobs asked, Tool replied with a nod.

Emmett came through on the comms, his voice cold and to the point. "Bridge secured, Tommens is working on the power and life support, something fucked up happened here Ryan, found another body, fatal chest wound. Cutter says something was eating him from the inside."

"Stay focused on the mission and keep me posted. Harley where are we at with Engineering?"

Harley clearly tried to reply but it was so scrambled with interference it was near inaudible "...found...they're all here...shit's all over the walls."

"Harley your breaking up say again." Once again the line was nothing but white noise, Jacobs rationalised that it must've been interference from the close proximity to the ship's engines but either way he didn't like it.

Near everyone twisted around as they heard the EEV begin to retract, connecting again with the ship, not a second later they could feel the gravity being reactivated as they heard debris throughout the deck come crashing back down hard. Lights around them flickered into life and atmosphere was fully restored.

"Looks like Tommens did the smart thing and read the manual." Jackson nudged Tool with his elbow.

"Secure that shit lad." Smith muttered.

The motion tracker audio in Jacobs' helmet went silent, instinctively he checked the device, reading his team beside him. Not a second later, near the edge of the tracker's range he saw a signal move at an impossible speed before disappearing, the anomaly was accompanied by the tearing screech of metal being cut. The sound echoed through the ship. Harrid and Simmons reacted instantly, leaving the room to secure the hall outside and widen the perimeter. Once they stopped Simmons felt something stick to the underside of his boot, lifting it he wiped something akin to a gel like slime that stuck to his glove like glue, he dismissed it as he wiped it away.

As Tool got back to work on the EEV Emmett came back through Jacobs' headset.

"Something just moved like shit off a shovel just outside the bridge towards you guys."

"I know, something's on this boat with us, hold your position and wait for an update."

"This whole ship was vented before we got here how can anything be here be alive without a suit." Jackson looked a little on edge, the grip on his gun tightening as everyone asked themselves the same question."

"Do I look like I have all the answers Randall?" Jacobs was feeling edgy too.

"Got it!" Tool called out as the EEV opened up and they moved inside, nothing looked out of the ordinary apart from the bloodied clothes discarded by the side of the cryo pod and the used contents of a first aid kit tossed across the floor. Sanders' hunch was right, inside the pod lay a young man in his shorts, a bloodied bandage wrapped tightly around his chest.

"He's alive, life signs are nominal but I wont know about that wound till I examine him." Cutter stared intently into the monitor connected to the frozen cradle.

"You can do that once were back on the ship, wake him up if you can." Jacobs ordered.

"His whole crew is dead and here he his sleeping like a fucking baby." Jackson remarked as he peered through the glass at the civilian, completely unaware of the horrors that replayed in his unconscious mind. "My money is still on him being involved."

"Randall please shut the fuck up!" Jacobs barked as Cutter activated the wake up cycle, it took only a few minutes, when he eventually opened his eyes he was still frozen, not from the hyper sleep but from sheer terror.

"Sir listen to me very carefully, we are here to rescue you, I just need you to remain calm while I assess your condition." Cutter reached out to grasp the man's head to see if his pupils were responsive, but before he could the young man lashed out frantically, near falling out the pod.

"Get away from me!" He wailed as he leapt backwards, his body was still fresh from cryosleep though and his frozen, atrophied muscles failed him as he clattered against a console, shaking uncontrollably and perspiring at an alarming rate. "Did you kill them?"

Cutter began to approach him again, albeit more cautiously this time speaking in a slower more gentler tone of voice. "Kill who sir? There's no one else on the ship, it's just you, me and my team."

"Not who? What? There's things on this ship, monsters." His eyes darted back and forth in a panic, looking into every area of the lifeboat, every single crevice.

Bruiser eyed up the civilian, hefting his shotgun upward across his barrel chest. "Trust me we are the only monsters on this ship you need to worry about."

Jacobs' expression couldn't be seen behind his mask but the unsettling feeling he was getting from the ship was getting worse by the second. "What happened here? What's on this ship."

Cutter and Straven had thought they had seen every look of terror the human face could produce, people facing the prospect of pain, amputation and death, but the look of sheer, all consuming horror slithered an unsettling chill down their spines.

"We thought we'd escaped them, they're all dead." He crumbled to his knees as he wailed into his hands. "They're all dead, she's gone, it passed right by me and took her into the vent."

"I knew it this guy's fucking lost it Ryan lets just get him restrained, back on the ship and finish this up." Jackson reasoned, but before he could react the survivor lunged at him, before he could reach close enough to strike Jackson though he was halted still as the barrels of four weapons closed in on him, each one not two inches from his head.

"I know your far gone kid." Jacobs spoke softly while aiming directly between the survivor's eyes, one squeeze and he'd be dead before he could even blink. "Further gone than most, I know, you feel like your the only sane one in the room but listen to me, we have a job to do and if you try that again you'll be dead before you hit the ground, you got that?"

"Just do it, please," He was weeping openly now as he sunk to his knees begging. "They'll already be coming for you, I can't watch anyone else die."

"Boss I'm getting some seriously bad vibes off this shit." Cutter voiced as he lowered his weapon and within a split second, cracked the butt of his rifle off of the man's head, knocking him unconscious.

Just as he hit the floor Sanders came through on the comms. "Did anybody just think it would be fun to jump back over here a minute ago?"

Jacobs was getting sick of this complicating bullshit. "What the fuck are you talking about Sanders."

"I mean one of our airlock sensors just registered the hatch as open for a few seconds before the emergency override kicked in and sealed it again."

"Well unless somebody has the strength to open that bulkhead manually then no, must be a glitch so get back to maintaining course and deploy the umbilical on my go, understood?"

"Crystal."

"Little fucking shit," Jacobs vented his frustration in a low rumbling growl, he then pointed to their VIP lying comatose on the floor. "Pick him up Simmons, lets just get the hell out of here."

"Jacobs…backup...movement" It was Sergeant Harley coming through the comms.

"Fantastic now what?"

"...something took Kristof!" Even though both squads were on either side of the ship, with over a hundred meters of ship between them, the stark roar of gunfire could be heard and felt through the ship by Jacobs and his men.

He tried desperately to raise Harley on the comms but the radio was silent, Emmett answered the silence from the bridge. "Boss we've got life support online and we are decelerating, confirm contact?"

"Hold your position and stand by to receive VIP."

"Roger."

Jacobs slammed open the airlock release on the EEV and motioned to Simmons who was now carrying their burden over his shoulder. "Get him up to the bridge and tell Emmett he's to hold that room and the umbilical at all costs, the rest of us are heading to Engineering."

Just as he spoke another wave of gunfire rang through the ship, whatever was going on it was clear that 5th squad were in a serious fight.

Sanders came online again, something was happening in the background, shouting and gunfire could be heard along with screaming, it was Sanders "Seal the fucking bridge! Ryan something's boarded us! I repeat we have a hostile alien presence on the ship!"

"Deploy the umbilical. We're coming." Emmett ordered.

The constant staccato of weapons fire drowned their footsteps as Jacobs and his team sprinted towards engineering. With every corridor they passed though the barrage seemed to lessen, eventually they could only hear one rifle firing. The last gun fell silent as they approached the ladder that would take them down to engineering, they circled it with careful footsteps as they illuminated the hatch that would lead them down.

"Fucking Christ." Smith exclaimed as he knelt down to look closer, the evidence of carnage was splattered all around the hatch, the blood still fresh as it dripped slowly down the ladder one handle at a time. So concerned they were of who's blood it belonged to and with their only illumination watching the crimson shower, they never seen the black devil drag their bleeding brother away down the hall, his head obscured by the horror's black, oily claws nearly breaking his helmet in it's grip.

"Harley! Anyone!" Jacobs cried out, a scream filled with agony came from below in reply. One by one they lowered themselves into engineering, taking great care on the ladders slick with the fresh blood of one of their own. Camp was the last one to descend, picking up an abandoned pulse rifle he inspected it to find the barrel still glowing hot and the magazine counter reading zero. Even with power restored none of the lights on this level were functional.

Everyone had the same unspoken thought as the scanned the foreboding dark, in close quarters with that expenditure of ammunition even a civilian would hit something. The threatening silence was broken as something could be heard from the tunnel directly behind them. Instantly they swung around towards it as the motion tracker began to beep, it's pace quickening by the second as something approached them.

"Could be one of ours." Harrid whispered and a sickening hiss was the answer they received and they further enforced their aim down the tunnel but their flash lights could only illuminate so far.

"What the fuck is that thing." Camp exclaimed as he peered through his scope with the night vision on.

"We can't see anything Camp." Jacobs replied

It crawled along the roof towards them, its head near blended in with the pipes it clung to, slowly it lowered itself like gravity had no effect, controlled and elegant like a dancer. It was massive, near eight feet tall, its movements despite it's size were graceful as it crawled on all fours towards them, clearly aware of them as its tail waved back and forth with a menacingly sharp edge. Camp took aim, his finger curled around the trigger to take the shot before the beast dived backwards into the darkness.

"Whatever it was we need to find the others." Jacobs spoke as he stepped forward only to be halted by Camp's hand as he still held his rifle up with the other, his eyes never leaving the scope.

"Nobody move a muscle." Camp spoke so quietly he could only be heard through the radio by the others, his voice was shaken but his stance was as still as a statue.

They saw at the edge of the darkness multiple sets of glistening teeth emerge, seven in all, their jaws saturated in glistening saliva and the deep tint of blood reflecting off their flashlights.

"Seven contacts." Jacobs whispered.

"Eight." Camp corrected, the tremble in his voice unnerved Jacobs.

"Where?"

"Right above me."

Everybody froze on the spot, copying Camp and without moving their heads, their eyes rose upwards to see the monster above them. Jacobs damned himself for never seeing it, gripped to the pipes directly above Camp's head, he couldn't believe the size of it, dwarfing even Smith. It's elongated cranium lowered so its jaws were mere inches from his comrade's head, thick saliva mixed with blood dripping onto him.

"Camp move back, very, very slowly. Guys if that thing moves shoot it. Don't worry buddy we got you covered."

"Still not comforting." Camp muttered as he readied himself for the worst, it took him a second to work up the courage to move, his legs were paralysed but finally he moved his left leg back a step. His scope never left the creatures ahead of them but something dripped onto the lens blocking his sight, it was blood. Everyone snapped their weapons upwards to reveal a steel grin attached to the biomechanical black horror, within the blink of an eye it pounced from the roof landing on top of Camp. Before he could react he was slammed into the floor with the creature's full weight crushing into him, it was all he could do to hold back the alien's head. Fighting against it as it thrust it's head forward, snapping teeth and violent screeches filling his senses. It pushed it's head once more, its jaws wide open as a tongue shot out like a piston, with a second set of menacing teeth that closed a hair's breadth from his visor.

A torrent of gunfire erupted as the other creatures charged forward, leaping from all over the tunnel, they pounced from the walls, roof and floor with impossible agility as Jacobs rushed to Camp's aid. He charged forward recklessly and nearly paid for it as the alien's tail smacked against his chest, throwing him onto his back. The team's rounds landed home constantly, a testament against such agile targets but the soft slug rounds never penetrated the creatures' skin, their exoskeleton was as tough as the armour plates the Reapers wore. Jacobs leapt back up and carefully peppered the alien that Camp struggled desperately underneath, he could barely see him under the creature's body, as the rounds struck its exoskeleton sparks emanated from its glistening hide and it scrambled back down the tunnel along the wall like a spider. Jacobs lifted Camp back up, his eyes caught the deep scars across his armour but his suit wasn't penetrated. His attacker didn't completely retreat, merely joined the others as they charged through the hail of gunfire that seemed to inflict no damage, only a barrier.

That changed when Bruiser completely abandoned any sort of fire discipline with his automatic shotgun, the sheer concussive force of the weapon drove them back as the creature's divided, Three dashed into the maze of the ships vent network. The other half of them stayed, crying out in pain before they rushed back towards the Reapers for another attack, making alarming progress towards them, further than before.

Jacobs knew they were in serious trouble. "Fall back!" He screamed as they back-stepped towards the ladders they had just descended from, he turned his head swiftly but barely saw the massive black shadow as it slammed into him and Harrid, crashing them both into the floor. For a split second they both stared into each other's visor until long, skeletal digits wrapped around Harrid's helmet before he was ripped away. He felt someone grab his vest, dragging him back, helpless as he saw the alien rush down the tunnel past its kin with Harrid in its arms as the disappeared into the dark unknown. His screams blared into everyone's ears through the open comm channel before it cut out.

Jacobs couldn't quite believe this disaster, he was dragged to a sitting position by Smith who roared while firing behind them. "To our rear! Get up Ryan! We're getting flanked!" His massive machine gun spitting out rounds at a deafening rate, the muzzle flash akin to a dragon spitting out fire. He shot at one of the creature's as it slithered down from the ladders behind them, they were cut off. Smith never let go of the trigger, the muzzle glowed a molten red in the dark but still it advanced. Until one of the rounds punched through its steel teeth, smashing them apart as the round bounced around inside its skull before exiting at the back. yellow blood sprayed from the exit wound onto the ladders. Instantly he swung his weapon to another of the creatures, they were getting flanked from both the tunnels to their side. They were being herded to the last tunnel behind them, slowly pushed back into some kind of trap.

"Aim for the mouth! The mouth!" Smith screamed and the others followed suit. Camp's accuracy showed as a single shot rung out in a rare split second of silence, punching through one alien's skull as it dropped like a puppet without strings. Rising unsteadily Jacobs couldn't take his eyes off the ladders even through all the noise and danger, the blood from the alien erratically melted away at the ladders and the floor beneath it. A square foot wide piece of floor disappeared in a matter of heartbeats as the corrosive liquid sunk deeper, there were no decks below engineering, only the hull.

"Hull Breach! Hold onto something!" Before the words fully registered among the others the tell-tale whoosh of atmosphere being sucked out through the floor. Everyone, even the creatures forgot the fight for a moment as they all could feel space pull them into her deathly embrace. They reached or the nearest fixed object and held onto them for dear life. Jacobs wrapped his arm around a pipe fixed to the junction connecting the four tunnels and activated his mag boots, the muscles of his arm near tearing as he fought against the pull. One of the aliens wasn't so lucky as it flew past Jacobs into the hole. When it past its claws lashed out tearing a large gash in his armour, a centimetre deeper and it would of ripped his suit open, killing him. He counted his lucky stars as it sealed the hole with it's body for a brief second. Watching with a hint of satisfaction as it screamed in agony, its innards being sucked out of its back before it disappeared from existence and the fight.

The four remaining still managed to crawl along towards them, fighting against the decompression. Three still pushed on from the front while one was getting closer and closer to Cutter on the right, he was all alone on that side and no one could help him as it drew closer. Lashing out with its tail it struck just beside his arm that held him in place, one more strike and he was done for. When death looked at him with a toothy smile he spat in its face, pulling his side-arm from it's holster he fought the pull and hammered rounds into its fingers that held it onto the wall. He tucked in as black fingers flew past him, narrowly dodging the acid blood as its owner followed it into oblivion.

Jackson was closest to the remaining three as they closed in, to him it looked like they were smiling in triumph as their eyeless faces bore into him. Inside his helmet his face was coursed in sweat, his breathing echoing in his ears above the deafening noise of the hull breach. He tried to raise his machine gun to repeat what Cutter had done, but the weapon was to heavy to lift one handed while fighting against the evacuating atmosphere. Trusting his mag boots too much he let go of the pipe to hold his weapon two handed and flew back towards the breach.

In an incredible show of strength Smith grabbed him with one hand pulling his entire body tightly against him, giving him the use of both hands to unleash hell. This was no time for ammo conservation and Jackson knew it as he unloaded on the beasts with a flood of fear and rage. His roar could be heard through the radio over the storm of gunfire and evacuating atmosphere, soon everyone tucked in as the acid blood started to fly. Elation filled him as one alien went down but just as the last ounce of atmosphere left his magazine ran empty with a dry click, bringing the fight into zero gravity.

Just as the others started firing Jackson tried desperately to reload. Smith was still behind him, one alien lashed forward, its barbed tail skewering through Jackson, the tail's tip penetrated into Smith's chest piece locking the three together. To Jackson it felt like he had been punched with an almighty force. He was unaware of the extent of the damage in the heat of battle until blood started to pour out his mouth, filling his helmet.

Using it as an anchor the alien pulled itself towards them determined, it grabbed Jackson tightly, lashing out in a frenzy of pain filled rage. Slashing, screeching and biting away at him. Smith was powerless to help him and the others didn't want to shoot him by accident. His blood floated around the two Reaper's in a dance joined by the alien's as it ate its way inside him, his body shielding Smith's from everything, He felt Jackson go limp but he wasn't dead yet.

Using the last of his strength and letting out a cry filled with pure agony he grabbed both of the creature's arms in a death grip before kicking off Smith. Propelling them both into the last creature as it joined its sibling and began ripping him apart as they floated down the tunnel. His last thoughts were of pain and hope that his brothers would understand what to do next and survive. His last sight was of teeth as they cut his life away.

"Everyone up the shaft!" Jacobs screamed in anguish as they floated towards and climbed up what remained of the ladders to the next deck. Smith was the last, floating by and hanging on to the ladders with one arm and the back of Jacob's armour with the other.

No one would see what he was about to do next, nor would they see the tears running down inside his helmet and the pain he felt as he watched those two monsters glide down that tunnel with the closest of his brothers. He had known Jackson since they were children. No matter how hard he tried to save Jackson from the life he lead, he never left his side. His only regret was that he couldn't end his suffering sooner.

He cocked the under-slung grenade launcher of his pulse rifle and without regret fired it down the tunnel. Before he could see the result he felt himself being pulled up as Smith flung him up through the shaft. He sealed the hatch just in time before they could all feel the explosion reverberate through the ship.

The others secured their immediate area while Smith clung to the top of the hatch, afraid that if he moved those things would come bursting out, while Jacobs just floated in the air in silence.

"Ryan, what the fuck is going on down there?" Emmett sounded panicked which was an extreme rarity.

"Emmett," Smith took a breath as he was still panting. "Get everyone prepped to leave, as long as you still have pressure up there, get everyone and that civvie off this ship now!"

"I've already sent half the team through the umbilical, whatever those things are there's one on the Terragora. It grabbed Ashley but Sanders and the flight crew are secure on the bridge. The kids are still out in the open with that thing."

"Jesus Christ, get over there and help them. Now!".

Another comm line opened with the now familiar interference that 5th squad had. "Ryan, anyone?" It was Harrid.

Jacobs said as he reloaded his weapon. "Everyone ready up, we're going back down there, we still have men down there. Emmett get the flight recorder and extract, once this is all over and the ship is stationery we're scuttling the bitch."

"Roger."

"Lets move." They crawled back down the hatch, moving like their enemies down the tunnel, they couldn't walk, the most of the corridor was gone, the floor was covered in stars and never ending.

Jacobs and the remainder of his squad drifted through the rest of the engineering deck without any sign of the alien that took Harrid. They couldn't ignore what else they had seen though, after clearing the damaged part of the ship the walls began to change in a twisted, grotesque way. It seemed to the Reapers that they were gliding into the devil's insides, the ship's architecture was consumed by black sinew and bone. Solid to the touch the organic material drained away at any source of light, giving the impression that they were being slowly swallowed, never to see light again.

No one uttered a word as they cautiously proceeded, their eyes scanning every inch of the walls. Every so often they stopped, so convinced they could see the alien hiding within its own construction only to be proved wrong, it was the perfect camouflage.

They knew if they followed the growth they would find Harrid and the last alien. It guided them towards a shut door absent of the resin that coated everything around it, as they approached it opened revealing the belly of the beast. Their mag boots barely found purchase as the magnets pulled their boots into the wet, alien floor. They had unknowingly entered one of the storage bays next to the ship's engine room, wide and open planned it stored only the dead now. Litres of blood floated around the room like liquid curtains of crimson that came from Harley's team, they had been ripped apart. Their bodies floated close to the floor, some were still recognisable, others would only be identifiable by their tags. In addition to the bodies waist height orbs almost looking like eggs littered the floor, most of them opened from the top like a perverse flower.

Jacobs' recognised Harley's body immediately by the broken heart insignia scratched onto his chest piece. Standing beside him he saw the extent of the carnage he suffered, one leg was crushed and bent at a horrible angle. The death wound was more obliteration than a wound though His face was essentially gone, what was left was smashed under his helmet creating a gaping hole that Jacobs could fit his fist through.

"Goodbye brother." He murmured as he reached inside his suit, ripping off his tags before stuffing them in an empty magazine pouch.

"I've found Harrid!" Bruiser shouted from the far side of the room, before the rest could reach him, Jacobs could see Bruiser trying desperately to pull him from the wall.

"Get over here and help me! There's something wrapped around his fucking head."

"Bruiser don't touch him!" Cutter's voice was harsh enough that Bruiser backed away immediately as he approached. By the time Jacobs got to the group though Cutter simply backed away from Harrid's body shaking his head as he looked towards him.

"What are you waiting for? Get it off him!" Bruiser shouted.

"I'll kill him if I do, it's fucking melted through his helmet."

They let their guard down, in any other situation they would of still kept their composure, against a human enemy at least. The threat of the alien was still in their minds but they kept their sights focused for an eight foot killing machine. Not what had crawled out of an egg silently speeding towards the team with eight legs that gripped the floor as it advanced with a singular purpose.

"Boss, behind you!" Camp shouted.

Jacobs twisted as sharply as his boots would allow, swinging his pulse rifle around to bear on the threat, his brain only processed eight pale legs and a tail before it attacked. Latching onto his rifle the parasite crawled passed the weapon instantly, beginning to crawl up his arm as Jacobs lunged backwards onto the hard, bony floor, his boots lost their grip and he floated through the air towards his comrades as he struggled against the parasite. It moved so quickly it was all Ryan could do to grip one of its legs to halt its progress, trying to fight his grip the rest of the parasite's legs flailed wildly trying to gain purchase. The claws at the end of each digit began to scratch at his helmet and visor nearly penetrating both as it's tail wrapped around his arm with a bone breaking grip.

Everyone piled around him, halting him from flying further and trying desperately to get this thing off him. Smith held the main part of its body while Bruiser struggled trying to unwrap its tail from Jacobs' arm who was gritting his teeth in pain.

"Hurry up it's gonna break his arm!" Smith shouted over the struggle.

"I'm trying..." Bruiser grunted and after what felt like a minute but was only a few seconds Jacobs felt the crushing pain in his arm dissipate. The fleshy underneath and protrusion disappeared as Smith hurled the spider away from them, it glided helplessly to the other side of the room until it hit the wall opposite them. Struggling to get his boots on the ground Jacobs looked up to see the parasite leap from the wall it hit and fly back towards the team. It didn't get far as a second later it exploded as the others gunned it down. The acidic properties of it's blood seemed thankfully to have no effect on the organic material. Yellow orbs splashed uselessly on the floor and drifted in every direction, they would need to be wary and avoid the floating liquid death.

"What the hell are these bloody things?" Smith helped Jacobs grip down, checking over his arm, noticing the faint burns into his gauntlet. Turning back to attend to Harrid his body was completely blocked from their sight by the last creature as it crawled over him with an enraged pace. Steel teeth clicking together with aggressive vibrations as saliva floated away from a mouth originating from hell as it tensed to launch towards them. In a few seconds it would be on top of them, tearing into every single one of them, even if someone landed a lucky shot, the blood might hit one of them. They all knew they had no choice and opened fire with everything they had, at first history repeated itself and the soft slug rounds failed to penetrate the alien's armoured exoskeleton. Though either under the sheer weight of fire or a few good shots the beast launched backwards, pressing against Harrid's body as acidic blood erupted onto him from its exit wounds.

The threat was eliminated but there was no elation felt through the squad, they were too busy watching in horror at their comrade's demise. The acidic blood ate through his armour with ease until it reached his skin. Ending whatever misery he may have suffered Jacobs fired a short burst directly through the arachnid parasite into Harrid's skull, killing both instantly.

"We'll come back for all of them before this is over, we need to get back to the ship." Jacobs said before leaving, without another word the other's followed, there would be time for the dead later, right now the living mattered more.

"First goddamn op in this outfit and we're babysitting the fucking ship, talk about spitting in our faces." Drake complained as they casually walked through the corridors of the Terragora in their search for the faulty airlock. Without proper time to become accustomed to the ship's layout her decks and access corridors seemed like a maze to the two young men. They had no idea of the numerous secret passages and hidden weapon caches dotted around her body. The night before Watts heard mention from some of the others of one of those caches, all he heard was that it was Camp's most treasured possession, scattered in separate pieces around the ship.

"What did you expect dude, a couple weeks out of basic and we'd be jumping through space killing pirates and marauders with guys who have been doing this since before we even dreamed of having hair on our balls."

"Kiss my ass." Drake hit back instantly, flipping him the finger as an addition.

"Heads up dude, there's a map." As they walked towards it Watts could swear he heard something moving nearby, checking over his shoulder to see nothing as the sound disappeared away into the unknown. Ignoring it as a trick of his mind they peered into the layout, only to see it coated in a thick jelly-like substance.

"Dirty assholes don't even keep their boat clean." Drake exclaimed in disgust as he tried to wipe it away from the map. "You gotta be shitting me, we finally find a map and the airlocks just, down there… huh, lights out too. Maybe a short circuit kicked off the airlock sensor?"

Two flashlights clicked on, dispersing the shadows and revealing more of the strange jelly, only now it coated all four angles of the corridor leading to the airlock. Watts now realised why Drake recoiled at the smell, the smell of rotten meat clung to the air with a hint of acidity that choked the back of their throats.

Swallowing a pinch of vomit back down his throat Watts started to retch. "We need to call this in. this shit ain't coolant." Beating them to the punch, gunfire could be heard from the other side of the ship, the channel scrambled as more gunfire came through their radio.

"We've been boarded! Its fucking huge, whatever it was it took Ashley. Where the fuck are you guys?" Sanders voice was shaking heavily, it rattled the both of them to hear him scared.

"At the airlock, what do you mean 'it'?"

"A fucking alien, put eight rounds in it, didn't do anything, just took her and ran." He paused for a moment in a tense silence. "I've sealed the bridge, I cant risk it coming back in here, The others are engaged on the Maivron too so for now you two are on your own. Just find Ashley and get this thing off my fucking ship."

"What's it look like?"

"Trust me you'll know, I'll monitor the camera's and update you if I see it."

The channel died as the readied their rifles, the sudden change in their objective rattled both of them, though neither would ever admit it.

"Must still be near the bridge. You ready?" Watts asked, Drake nodded a reply as they moved forward with the muzzles of their weapons following their eyes through the first few corridors. The only break in the silence was their heavy rushed breathing, adrenaline coursed fully through their systems, their eyes darted to every slight and sound. Both nearly jumped out their skins as a woman's painful screech rang through the corridors, it sounded nearby, along with something heavy smacking off the floor. They rushed towards the noise's origin with the naïve bravery of the young and immortal.

Rounding a corner they aimed down the corridor, their light reflected off a comatose Ashley, she lay slumped against the wall with a small bloodstain on her chest.

"Ashley!" Watts called out as they ran towards her, he rushed into a crouch, lifting her head to find her unconscious but still breathing.

"Ashley wake up! Lieutenant!" He tried slapping her cheek and shaking her violently to no avail, she appeared almost drugged. Examining her chest the wound was minute almost like a syringe mark with minimum blood loss.

"What's wrong with her?" Drake asked from behind, his eyes scanned their surroundings. Any trace of his hangover was pushed from his body as fear sharpened his sight but still no threat was in sight.

"I dunno but we need to get her somewhere safe, c'mon lets go." Watts grunted as he lifted Ashley and slung her over his shoulder, making it nearly impossible to bear his weapon.

"I'll take point." Drake muttered as they began moving slowly.

They made it through the first corridor before it first attacked, it pounced from the roof without sound, hammering into Watts and Ashley flooring both of them and driving Drake into the wall. He recovered quickly and fired his weapon at the dashing black figure as it dived back on top of the other two. Rounds sparked off the ribbed torso and the translucent carapace as its tail smashed down, barely missing Watt's head as it began its frenzied attack.

Watts was pinned down by the creature and Ashley's body as she lay unconscious on top of him, instinct surged as the eyeless face shrieked, thick saliva dripping from it's jaws on to his face as he could hear rounds being discharged. Strike after strike its tail came down, hammering into the floor next to Watts' head, it screamed in frustration before the claws came down. Instinctively he tried to move Ashley's body, without care or thought she was his human shield as Drake watched completely helpless.

Still firing his pulse rifle, keeping his distance he saw the creature's claws sink into Ashley's back as gore started flying, spraying his face as Watts became drenched in her blood, flooding into his mouth so much he was choking on it. Realising its bounty was dead it raised itself up, blood covering its mouth as it turned to Drake, much to his horror and charged.

He cried out as it weaved to the side, it's tail whipping across his face knocking him down, it then quickly wrapped its long fingers around his torso, lifting his full weight without effort, drawing his skull into his view. Drake's sight was filled with the alien, even under the body armour his ribs felt like they were being crushed, it grew tighter and tighter. Its jaws opened revealing two sets of steel teeth as he felt its body shaking violently through it's hands.

Watts coughed up Ashley's blood as he pushed her ruined body off of him, seeing Drake and the imminent danger he faced. Watts lunged to grab his rifle, hands slick with fresh blood, trying desperately to wield the weapon. Shouldering it he instantly fired, covering the alien in automatic fire, sparking off its back until a round pierced one of its dorsal tubes blowing one half of it off. It dropped Drake with a cry of agony as a yellow liquid spurted from the wound towards Watts, he blocked the blood with the side of his rifle without thought. The creature fled with speed down the corridor as Watts stared in disbelief as the blood melted his rifle before his eyes, he dropped it to another threat as the gauntlet on his right arm was hit too. His fingers were near useless as they struggled to undo the gauntlet's clasp, his heart raced beyond counting as he saw smoke billowing as the fluid melted closer to his arm.

Drake struggled over, still in agony he grabbed Watts' hand as he pulled his knife cutting the straps, not caring for the gashes he left in his comrade's forearm.

Watts near collapsed as the ruined gauntlet fell from his arm, his breathing was almost uncontrollable as he leaned against the wall, retching out the rest of Ashley's blood, staring at her shredded body he vomited violently without shame.

Danger and adrenaline helped him recover quickly, he gazed towards Drake who was already scanning their surroundings, with two smoking dents in his chest armour. Watts then realised in his panic, he hit Drake twice. "Shit man. I'm sorry." Watts said still panting.

"Don't be. I'm alive. She isn't though." Drake grunted, motioning his weapon towards Ashley's body. "Get the fuck up, that things still around and these rifles are fucking useless."

Watts gazed at his ruined weapon suddenly feeling very vulnerable. "Sanders, we found it but it got away. Lieutenant Ashley is dead. I'm sorry sir there was nothing I could do."

"I saw everything." His voice bled with pain and anger.

"This thing bleeds fucking acid, we need another way to fight this thing." Drake added in.

"Push it back to an airlock, seal it and get it off the ship. Emmett's sending over some reinforcements."

Watts and Drake were as still as stone, staring at each other in silence for a few seconds. "How the hell are we meant to get that thing back in an airlock? We're down a gun now."

Their options were almost non existent without completely gunning it down and endangering themselves to a hull breach and it was only a matter of time before the creature attacked them again. Signifying their lack of time they heard a guttural growl travel through the corridors, it was still nearby, clearly staying close to its prey.

"Bait." Watts said it almost casually.

"Fuck that!" Drake replied instantly shaking his head.

"You got a better idea? Sanders are there any conventional EVA suits on the ship?" Watts climbed up, his eyes darting in all directions looking for a weapon rack he saw earlier.

"Yeah. Inside the main cargo hold at the rear of the ship but that's a long way from your position, I'll guide you."

Without a word the duo made their way there in a light jog with Sanders providing directions and Drake taking point, his heart jumping at nothing every time they neared a corner. A minute later they entered one of the main access corridors of the ship, spanning the length of the entire vessel. Over thirty foot in height and width it was used to transport all manner of things from the cargo hold to the rest of the ship. Running along its side was an expansive window that spanned along the length of the corridor with the Maivron fully in sight with the umbilical now connecting both ships.

They were halfway towards the cargo hold thankfully without any sign of the alien just yet until Drake tapped Watts on the shoulder motioning towards the other ship. "Shit, looks like the lower hull has been breached." Debris could clearly be seen exiting somewhere on the underside of the ship, then followed by what was clearly an explosion. The popcorn show was interrupted by a growl that echoed through the whole corridor. Turning back they saw the thing that hunted them emerge from the shadows, salivating in anticipation for the kill. Both marines dared not move as they watched its still form and without cause or sound it began to rush towards them.

"Run!" Drake shouted as he fired a burst from his pulse rifle that only slowed their pursuer for a brief moment. They sprinted down the corridor with everything they had and more, never turning around, only hearing death as it closed in on them. Adrenaline and fear powered their legs as their boots pounded the metal floor, the sound thundering through the whole length of the corridor.

Watts' eyes locked to an incinerator that lay against a crate just ahead, if it didn't work they were dead, it was gaining on them by the second and they would never make it in time. He practically slid into the crate as he rushed to pick the flame unit up, praying inside that it wasn't empty, hefting it he heard the liquid slosh around the tank.

Drake turned for one last burst to give Watts whatever time he needed, instantly the alien jumped towards him as he held down the trigger, halting the beast in pain for a brief moment. Without warning his magazine ran dry and it continued to advance.

"Move!" Watts shouted.

Even as Drake dived to the side he could feel the searing hot stream of fire bypass him. Landing hard he began to crawl back frantically, avoiding the heat above him as best as he could. Turning around he saw the alien completely engulfed in flames, writhing in agony as its screams filled their ears. Watts let go of the trigger for a second, hesitant to not run out of fuel. "C'mon lets go!" He shouted above its pained cries as he dragged Drake upwards and they continued to run.

They reached the massive open hatch that entered into the main cargo hold, panting from the adrenaline and exertion. Watts opened one of the crates outside the hold motioning Drake to get in. "We don't have time to put the suits on, get in. Please just fucking trust me." He peaked his head around the crate to see the alien slowly crawl towards them, they had one shot at this. Drake reluctantly climbed in, reluctantly shutting the opening.

With Drake out of view Watts began to step back into the cargo hold, never taking his eyes off the black monstrosity as it stalked slowly towards him. It hissed in anticipation, even without eyes Watts could feel himself being targeted by its otherworldly gaze. For every step the alien's slender, long legs took towards him his heart began to hammer another dozen beats a minute.

The mutual pace continued until Watts' back landed abruptly into the side of an APC, halting his slow retreat he mentally fought his defensive instinct to raise the incinerator upwards. He didn't want to give the alien any excuse to not follow him into the hold.

It halted it's advance at the threshold and lowered itself onto all fours, simply staring at him in silence for a few seconds.

"C'mon you son of a bitch." Watts whispered, watching it stray dangerously close to the crate that Drake hid inside, the only sound breaking the silence was the constant running of the pilot light on the incinerator. His heart leapt into his throat as he watched it elegantly crawl to lean on the crate, it moved its face all over the container, almost smelling Drake inside.

"Come fucking get me! I'm right here!" He shouted but the alien merely glanced at him, hissing dismissively, it's second jaw casually emerged out of its mouth as it ran its palm down the wall of the crate.

Suddenly the droning of the pilot light was no longer, Watt's eyes shot downwards to see his only means of defence become useless.

"Shit."

The alien's head twisted towards him instantly, its second set of jaws fully revealed as its hissing turned to an ear piercing shriek, seeing his vulnerability, it charged.

Watts turned instantly, sliding open the APC door as he threw himself inside rushing to close the door again.

"Seal it!" Watts screamed into his headset as he slammed the door shut, just in time as he felt the alien crash into the door. He could hear the massive door of the cargo hold slide down, trapping the alien and himself inside. He sat in darkness for the next few seconds, the only sounds being his heartbeat thunder into his ears and the alien hammer against the APC, making a clicking sound as it rotated his vehicular sanctuary.

"Watts? Watts! Come in."

"I'm okay, locked myself in an APC, shitty flamethrower died on me. Fuck!" Watts clicked on the flashlight on his shoulder to search the interior of the vehicle and weigh up his options. Throughout his search he could still hear the alien move around his position, when he searched the weapon racks to find them empty he heard it leap onto the roof and finally fall silent.

"Watts," It was Sanders breaking through the quiet. "don't try to make a run for it, the things lying right on top of your position."

"Well thanks for stating the goddamn fucking obvious, is there anything you can do to help?"

"I can open up the airlock and empty the whole cargo hold..."

"Great. Fucking perfect!" He kicked out at the commander's chair multiple times before slumping down in defeat. Unloading the tank from the incinerator he shook it to the sound of fuel still moving still inside, the trouble was just to get the pilot light working. The sparking mechanism was completely broken.

A few tense minutes of silence passed without any communication from anyone and no auditory sign that the alien had moved from the roof of the APC. He tried multiple times to activate the pilot light, the fuel was coming out but no spark to ignite it. He took a deep breath in an effort to quell the swiftly rising panic within him. In a moment of stress induced madness he began to quietly laugh at the thought that being a smoker at this moment might just save his life by having a lighter. His mind also drifted to the thought that the lack of communication from the others signified that they just might be contemplating emptying the hold with him still in it. He knew it was the safer option, why would they risk their lives for him? He wasn't a veteran comrade, he was just the new kid brought in to fill a gap in the team, he could be easily replaced.

"Still with us lad?" Sergeant Smith asked.

Watts jumped out of his sitting position, he thought maybe this was goodbye. "Yes sir, thought you guys were just gonna empty the hold."

"We've lost enough people today. That flamer unit completely out of commission?" Jacobs voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

"Can't get a spark for the pilot light sir. Don't suppose you could lend me your lighter."

"Even better," This time it was Camp. "look above the command monitors, should be a first aid kit on the shelf, under it should be a basic survival kit with a flint and striker inside.

"Okay gimme a minute." Watts found the firestriker exactly where Camp described, his heart leapt when he felt his hand grip the cold metal. "Got it." Instantly he was kneeling on the floor striking away, with hope he watched sparks fly towards the incinerator's muzzle. A few strikes later his efforts bore fruit and the flame burst out due to the extra gas produced, wasting no time Watts picked it up and readied himself for facing death again.

"I'm armed but don't think my fuel's gonna last long. What do you want me to do?"

"I want you to make a run for the door when I tell you to." Jacobs said without any hint of concern, it made Watts feel like he was the bait once again.

"You've gotta be fuckin kidding me?" Watt's heart already began racing in apprehension.

"Just trust me kid. We've got a link to the camera feed and that thing doesn't look like it's moving from you any time soon."

Watts didn't realise he left his channel open, he was panting furiously, trying desperately to will his hand onto the door latch. He kept wiping the sweat from his hands but it never stopped, neither did the shakes.

"C'mon, C'mon quit being a bitch." He said to himself. "Okay… fuck! Okay I'm ready."

"Blast it with the flamethrower before you run and don't stop. Listen to me your gonna get through this... Activating the door in three… two… one..."

Watts inhaled sharply as he heard the cargo bay door lift its tremendous weight upwards. With a thundering heart he pulled harshly at the handle, slamming the sliding door into the fully open position. Time didn't slow down, if anything Watt's perception of the situation sped up as he stepped outside. His eyes and the incinerator were glued to the APC's roof, very, slowly taking a few steps back without any sign of the creature. Torn between running and taking it slow Watts sneaked a glance back to see the others. None of them stepped passed the threshold of the door, waiting desperately with fingers on triggers for the alien to appear.

"Keep moving!" Emmett shouted to Watts, his and the rest of the team were looking everywhere, eyes constantly scanning, in the time the door had opened the alien had moved from the APC, it's location now unknown.

Watts didn't turn his head back in time to see the alien, it ran on all fours around the side of the vehicle. Carrying so much speed and momentum it created ragged tears in the floor as it's claws tried to grip the slick, sheet metal, without a sound it bore down on Watts within a few seconds.

He fired the incinerator before aiming, turning the stream of fire towards the creature, wrapping its body with searing hot pain. Enraged and already committed to the attack it flew into him, flooring him as it climbed onto him.

He turned onto his stomach in an attempt to crawl before it grabbed him tightly, pulling him under it. He was pinned under its great weight, a clawed hand slammed his head into the floor when he heard waves of gunfire turn up to full volume. The tell tale cracks of closely incoming rounds filled his ears before the screech of the injured alien as it leapt backwards.

Freed from the oppressive weight Watts lifted his head up to see Jacobs rush towards him, he face bore a growling snarl as he fired his pulse rifle in long, controlled bursts over Watt's head.

"Get up!" Jacobs screamed as he heaved Watts up with one hand, firing another burst before throwing Watts ahead of him as the sprinted to the others.

Neither turned back, it was chasing them down even with the punishment being dealt on it, hearing it's pounding steps and screams of deadly desire they raced to the others. Conditioning and fatigue was no factor, the instinct for survival flooding their leg muscles with vigour as they sprinted for their lives. Their hearts beating war drums in their ears as rounds past mere inches from their heads, neither dared turning their head, to do so was death. The distance to the door couldn't come quickly enough as they could feel the alien right behind them, another few seconds and it would claim them. They closed in on the quickly collapsing door, the covering fire stopped, meaning it was mere feet from them. Running for their lives was nearly not enough, their salvation was already near closing with a few feet of height remaining.

They desperately dived forward to get under the door, landing harshly as they slammed into the floor, rolling their body's sideways for that extra few feet of distance. The sound of the cargo door's hydraulics sealing shut was music to Watts' ears, his lungs aflame as he gasped for oxygen to fuel his exhausted body. He shot a quick glance to the door, realising how close he was to being crushed, he tried to move but it seemed physically impossible to do anything other than lean against the door. He genuinely felt like his heart might burst.

Watt's didn't realise that Jacobs felt the exact same way, too busy trying to catch up with his heart rate and breathing to focus on the circle of faces that filled his vision. Rapid and heavy pounding sounded from the cargo door, causing Watts to summon that last ounce of energy to merely back away. Despite being three feet thick of hardened steel, capable of withstanding all manner of small arms fire the creature was still causing damage. When the banging stopped it began using it's claws, tearing into the door, the action screeching worse than nails on a chalkboard could ever do.

Cringing with the noise Jacobs barked into his microphone to Sanders, still lying on his back with Watts unable to move. "Gloves we're out. Empty the hold."

"Consider it done."

Sirens begin to wail from inside the Cargo hold over a piercing cry from the creature. Gazing at the datapad on Tool's wrist, Jacobs watched the alien's demise with relieved pleasure. The heaviest items, the parked APC's, the storage containers moved slowly, the friction from metal on metal halting direct flight out the hatch. The creature dug it's claws into the floor, ripping up the metal plating as it was dragged back before it flew out the hold at such a speed that it was lost from sight in the blink of an eye.

Jacobs laid his head back on the floor, grateful of the cold steel on his hot, perspiring face as his breathing and heart rate finally began to slow. After a moment of recollection on everyone's part they helped them both up from the floor.

"Everyone okay? Any more casualties?" Sanders spoke through an open channel.

"No more casualties, what's our status with stopping the ship?" Jacobs asked, rubbing his arm, Watts and drake could see the burned gauntlet underneath.

"We're slaved to the Maivron and we are close to stopping, got all the airlocks sealed and we're watching them constantly."

"Open the umbilical, we need to collect the dead."

"Jacobs are you sure you want to..."

"Just open it goddamnit! I ain't leaving them in that hell!" He shouted down the channel.

"Roger that sir."

Sanders cut the channel as the team were left in a silence that Watts and Drake felt like they had no part in, they couldn't understand the level of mourning the veterans felt at that moment. Also feeling that they had only tasted the level of chaos that happened on the Maivron, evidenced further by the blood that covered Smith's armour.

"How many did we lose sir?" Drake asked, instantly regretting rubbing salt on such a raw wound.

Jacobs looked up, his eyes darting between the youngsters with an icy glare clearly biting back his hurt and anger. "There's some maintenance EVA suits near the umbilical, get them on and bring us some standard ammo. You can help pick up the pieces and find out for yourselves."

With those words they wandered back in silence, crawling inside their heads to incubate their own thoughts. The two youngsters still reeling from their first ever taste of battle with such a horrifying and unknown enemy and their failure to save the defenceless Lieutenant Ashley. The others drifting in a fog of memories of their lost comrades, cut down so easily by something that no training could ever prepare them for. Jacobs had no doubts now. He knew he could never leave the Reapers to face something like this. His heart was heavy with the extent of the dead but he could never prepare his soul for the weight of the fallen still to come.


	11. Chapter 10: Sail Into The Black

_I have a rendezvous with Death_

 _At some disputed barricade,_

 _It may be he shall take my hand_

 _And lead me into his dark land_

 _And close my eyes and quench my breath,_

 _But I've a rendezvous with Death_

 _At midnight in some flaming town,_

 _And I to my pledged word am true,_

 _I shall not fail that rendezvous._

Extracts from 'I Have a Rendezvous with Death' by Alan Seeger.

December 25th 0100 Hours The Tower, Control Room

They could do nothing but sit and watch the carnage unfold from the hell above their world. Not a soul could tear their gaze away as these demons tore into their feared elite. No coherent words were spoken as every eye in the room watched it all unfold on the wall of monitors. A handful gasped or screamed when a Reaper fell but their sounds were drowned by the Squad's radio channel blaring their distorted voices to their audience.

Briggs stood speechless, his eyes darting from screen to screen. Unavoidably drawn into the embodiment of true horror as they covered the monitors in a montage of teeth and black, merciless murder. He could hear it in their voices, his men were fighting for their lives and there was nothing he could do about it. Shame enveloped him like a heavy cloak, he would give anything to help them in anyway he could but he was no better than a spectator from where he stood.

Then Jackson died. He watched the smartgunner's last sight live on television. It tore at Briggs' heart but he felt an immense sense of pride at Jackson's final act. From then on events defied the impossible by only getting worse. He saw Jacobs' aim subtly quiver as he ended Harrid and the encounter aboard the Terragora. Those two young boys were far from recruits now, handling their situation with skill and courage beyond what Briggs' thought they were capable of.

Cutting to the present Jacobs spoke with a voice of trembling steel as they could be seen heading back through the umbilical to the Maivron.

"This is Reaper One. We're collecting our dead. Stand by." As he finished speaking the whole squad cut their camera feeds enlightening the ops centre with a nauseating static.

The silence in the control room was equal only to the dead of space as the footage finally ended. After a minute of collective processing of shock by everyone one of the technicians was alert enough to isolate images and small clips where the alien creatures were in view. There was countless to choose from and yet nobody knew quite what to think.

Briggs' heart sank for his men and for Jacobs at Jackson's demise, they both had known each other since childhood and losing him would no doubt crush Jacobs in amongst the dire losses. Still though the Gunnery Sergeant seemed collected in his thoughts and in control of his emotions. The Major wondered how much emotional agony could one man endure before something snapped. Maybe it already had.

Shaking himself back into the present he looked around to see each of the ops staff staring at him, their eyes almost pleading for direction. He couldn't nail down his emotions enough to take charge of the situation, everything was a horrified, melancholy chaos. Then he heard the corporate suit walk to close in behind him and whisper in his ear.

"I'm sorry Major but we need to talk. Privately. Have your people step outside, my staff will keep an eye on them while we discuss this delicate situation."

Briggs felt his temper rise up like an active volcano, he took a long deep breath to ease the titanic pressure. It failed "Everyone. Get out!" He growled to his staff. Without hesitation everybody dropped what they were doing and swiftly flowed out the door like a hurried snake with the ever observant Bishop following close behind. Briggs didn't turn to watch them leave, his eyes were focused on one screen as he watched Jackson's death play over and over again. Seeing coughed out, bubbled blood flood inside his helmet as the beasts closed in on him, ending someone who was close to a son.

He erupted. Turning instantly he grabbed the suit by his neck to force him into the chair before he pushed him back, charging forward until they slammed into the wall. Briggs continued to hold him by his neck him into the wall with a righteous strength as he brought their faces within centimetres of each other. "We're alone now so talk before I decide to break your goddamn neck!" Briggs practically screamed into his face, he felt murderous, regretting ordering everyone out who could have stopped him from doing something regretful but righteously satisfying.

The executive was struggling to breath, Briggs knew he was suffocating him but he didn't stop until he saw his face turn red and his arms clutching Briggs' own. They clawed desperately with soft, moisturised hands and close clipped nails. He let go and backed away a few steps while the executive perched over, he coughed and wheezed violently as he forced air back into his lungs.

"You knew that those things were on that ship didn't you!" Briggs roared.

The executive finally caught his breath and readjusted his suit with an unshaken pride in his appearance. He sat back on his chair relaxed with one leg resting on the other and met Briggs' eyes without fear. "I'll forget that just happened Major considering how you must feel regarding your men."

"You'll what! You snivelling little shit."

Briggs started to advance again but the suit lifted his hand up calmly and interrupted him. "If you touch me again I'll have you court marshalled. Now let me tell you what's going to happen here. Your staff is waiting outside with my security team, they're just making sure that none of them go running their mouths about what they've just seen." He raised himself from the chair and walked towards the door, pausing by it before speaking again. "Your going to give them the same warning I'm giving you now. When I have completed my task and leave. None of you will ever speak of this to anyone and delete all the footage you have. If any of your technical staff do talk trust me, they won't make it off the planet alive. Now your going to receive orders from Admiral Jordan to tell your team to leave the Maivron unmolested in orbit for retrieval."

Briggs couldn't help but laugh at the insanity of what he was hearing. Since the 18th was reformed as a special forces battalion they had experienced their fair share of clandestine operations. They knew there was corporate influence in some of their missions but it was never spoken of. Now it was all laid bare and he was expected to swallow it on his knees. "What makes you think my man up there isn't just going to blow that ship out of the sky." He asked.

"Because if he does I'll make sure that every member of your battalion is convicted for treason and hanged. And trust me after what happened on the Nataro no one will bat an eyelid to news of your men's treasonous nature." The suit raised himself up and walked with confidence towards Briggs. "Once you re-establish communications give the order. Remember Major. No tricks, if me or anyone in my security is even scratched your battalion is better off dead." When he finished he walked to the door and motioned everyone inside.

The operations staff walked back in hastily, clearly eager to be away from the scrutinising mercenaries. The Major motioned them all back to their seats as the suit re-entered with six well armed security contractors in tow. They looked well trained and heavily armed but he had a full battalion coming back from Haven, even now he could hear numerous Cheyenne engines screaming overhead. He just wish he could get word to them, he had never felt more helpless. The operations team had a similar look as they stood next to their desks, nervously glancing at the armed intruders before looking towards Briggs. Pleading again with their eyes for leadership and direction.

"Listen up! Wipe all the recorded footage, I want any audio transcripts redacted immediately. As far as your concerned this is a black op and any knowledge of it's happening never leaves this room." Bishop entered the room late followed closely by another mercenary who watched his every move. They were probably monitoring every channel coming out the Tower including Bishop's built in wireless router.

A steady, slow bleeping tone came from the hail alert system and Briggs' heart sunk, he knew what was coming next. One of the staff worded the source of his rising anxiety and anger.

"Sir incoming hail from Captain Anderson of the USS Reya."

"Patch him through." Briggs knew Anderson from previous encounters. He was a hot headed little shit with a nose rammed right up the Admiral's ass. Briggs just hoped and prayed that the Captain didn't try to communicate with Jacobs directly, the last time they met Jacobs was a recently promoted Lieutenant and Anderson's nose wasn't permanently disfigured. The main monitor came alive with Anderson's smug face smiling from ear to ear, clearly he was enjoying his position of power.

"Major Briggs, I am here to issue and enforce orders from Admiral Jordan, I hope that..."

"Cut the shit 'Captain' I know why you're here," Briggs cut him off and practically spat out Anderson's rank, he wanted to remind him who held command in this situation. "... the Admiral has made his point clear. The best thing you can do is let me handle dealing with Jacobs."

The mere mention of his name made the Captain's face twist in scorn. "As long as your dog follows orders, if he doesn't I'll bring him to heel."

"Good luck with that." With that Briggs cut the feed. He turned to see the suit staring at him with that same smug smile, like they knew they had already won. He eyed around the room counting the six members of the corporate security. "Is this all of your security?"

"It's more than enough Major, your not going to lay another hand on me. You know what will happen if you do."

"It's not me you need to worry about, it's him up there." Briggs pointed up towards the roof and the stars past it. "Over the past twenty four hours that man has been pushed to breaking point and your forcing him into a corner."

"He has his orders and he'll follow them. Besides he's no other option, the cards are stacked against him."

"I hope your right because it's not stopped him before."

Watts had always dreamed about experiencing zero gravity, that subtle freeing of the world weighing his body down as he floated free of Earth's pull. As a child while still under the boot of his father his science class had a field trip to a zero gravity rehabilitation centre to experience the sensation and learn how it was achieved artificially. The fee for the field trip was only ten dollars but Watts didn't bother even bringing the permission slip home, he knew that those measly ten dollars would buy a cheap bottle of scotch. While his class mates were fifteen feet off the ground squealing in delight, he was back at school crouched low in the cafeteria kitchen, stealing enough pre wrapped sandwiches to keep his belly full for the next few days.

Now as he experienced his lifelong dream for the first time as a Christmas present he wished he had just stayed back on the Terragora with his feet firmly planted on the floor. Even inside his bulky EVA suit he could still feel himself shaking uncontrollably from his first dance with death. He couldn't tell how Drake felt as they navigated the dark corridors of the Maivron's lower decks. Amongst the floating darkness his nightmares pounced at his conscious mind from the shadows as they floated over the destroyed floor. His mind knew that falling was an impossibility but as his eyes gazed into the infinite expanse of space he could imagine himself plummeting to be lost among the drowning diamonds.

They were here to collect the dead but Watts didn't know if his veteran squad mates were even alive as they travelled without a word spoken until they reached the gap.

"Jackson went down here, there's no body to worry about." Jacobs said absent of emotion as they continued.

Watts couldn't believe that any of the Reapers were dead. Back in basic training he always looked at the drill sergeants as the toughest men he'd ever laid eyes on but the marines of the 18th were something else entirely. To see them laid so low was just a stark reminder that these notorious killers were only human with tissue that could be pierced and hearts that could be broken. Before he knew it he had followed the Reapers into the nest and the sight that greeted his eyes was slaughter without gravitational restraint.

Their bodies were frozen with death, floating above them in a frozen fall of gore. In the pitch black their armour barely reflected the lights that showed their eviscerated shells. Thin curtains of blood twirled around them like ribbons of torn silk accompanied by expelled organs and brain matter as they drifted lifelessly still and empty. Both Watts and Drake stared dumbfounded as the image bludgeoned its way into their psyche. The others pushed themselves up from the floor to retrieve them, handling them with care and respect as they brought them back down. Jacobs was first holding someone unrecognisable as Watts stared into the pit where his face used to be. Jacobs handed him into Watts embrace, his grip was tight despite the body's weightlessness.

"It's Taylor." Jacobs' voice was still emotionless as he handed the corpse over. Even with the menacing skull scraped into his headpiece Watts could recognise hidden grief behind Jacobs visor. The near wordless procession of brutalized corpses continued until all but Harrid was collected. His headless remains had to be forcibly pulled from the hive wall with tenderness abandoned. With everyone apart from Jackson accounted for they made their way silently back across the umbilical away from the ghost ship.

The air around him was pain frozen in time as he sat among his fallen brothers and sisters, staring at his violently trembling hands he could still see them as they were. He could still see their smiles as they cracked jokes, hear their voices echo within the hauntingly empty cargo hold as their memory ravaged his thoughts.

He saw them for what they were, brave but flawed, none were perfect and neither was he, as he slowly inhaled another drag of his fifth cigarette. It was burnt to the stub with that last drag, the flared tobacco burned into his callused fingers without feeling as laid his bloodshot, heavy eyes on them again. In his other hand dangled the dog tags of his fallen family. Though they occupied only a small portion of the hold, the floor was slick with blood and he sat amongst it, bathing in it cross legged, oblivious to the macabre. He stubbed the cigarette into the pool of blood, listening to the ember cancer sizzle against life spilled and lost.

He was in too much pain to see them for what they had become, too defeated to accept the reality. He uttered barely a breath as he cut each of them out of their EVA suits, even when he had to place Taylor's intestines back within his abdomen, Jacobs face was as still as stone, with only a raindrop tear emanating from the statue he had forced himself to become to perform this gruesome task.

Time had no meaning to him, his only measure of how long had passed was how much he smoked, and to him it wasn't enough, the nicotine did nothing to alleviate the storm of emotion inside him. He lit another cigarette, the white rolled paper matted down by crimson as an image flashed into his mind, choking him into a spree of coughs. Spitting out a wad of blood he tossed the cigarette away, looking down at his shaking hands as he fought for control of the tremors, both in his hands and his head. The release of breaking was so close but if he did the torrent would never end.

Flashing images of those monsters crawling out of the shadows erupted in his head, their alien bodies glistening in the light and flashes of gunfire. Their lack of eyes unnerved Jacobs, at those ranges he was so accustomed to seeing the eyes of his enemies. For these things though, their teeth was their gaze and they radiated a deep primal fear of being the hunted.

He still couldn't comprehend the losses they took, his Reapers were some of the best soldiers alive, but still these demons of the void annihilated them with ease. He'd never heard of any alien organism like them, his only clue was the clearly unstable civilian.

They couldn't just go back to Camp Elder and forget what had happened here, waiting for one operation after another like before, chained dogs waiting for their master's call. As much as he feared going back to that damned planet for what memories they might refresh, those things scared him more.

The soft whoosh of a door opening sounded behind him, turning he saw Watts enter, still bloodied from his own trial by fire. He was proud of him and Drake, they'd handled themselves well. The face Watts bore though showed a man at the worst stage of mind after a fight. That stage once the adrenaline left his body, he could look back with brutal clarity at everything he did right. Mostly though it would be everything he did wrong.

Lieutenant Ashley's death wasn't his fault, though Jacobs could see why Sanders hated him right now, he saw everything through the cameras. But he wasn't hammered into the floor with one of those monsters, raining down unrelenting teeth and claws. There's barely any time for thought fighting these things, instinct and muscle memory is all there is. The only tactic was to keep as far away as you can and unload what ordnance you have, hoping it would be enough.

Without a word the young reaper sat down next to Jacobs, he handed Watts a lit cigarette and they smoked away in silence. A few minutes passed, the only noise being the constant hum of the ship and the voices in their memories.

"I thought monsters only existed in the movies." Watt's broke the silence, crouching low with his head facing the floor he still couldn't rid himself of the adrenaline shakes.

"And I thought people were the only monsters I had to worry about." Jacobs replied, his eyes lost in the distant past.

"I'm sorry you lost so many sir." Watts said, meaning every word.

"It comes with the job. Gonna have to find Jackson's spare tags when we get back." He wiped his bloodied hands against his suit. "If it's anything like his locker in school used to be I'm gonna be there a while." He said with a grin breaking the cement that grief had formed looking up past the roof into history.

"So what are we going to do about all this?"

He seemed to ignore Watts, picking himself up of the floor. "Goodbye," he muttered softly to the cool, ghostly atmosphere. "watch over us and forgive me for what I'm about to do."

He headed for the exit with cold determination and renewed purpose in his heart, Watts followed in silence. Ryan didn't look back at them as he walked away, merely gripped the bundle of dog tags tighter. The Reapers were going home and no corporate or military power was going to stop them.

They entered the locker room to a defeated atmosphere, they were in the process of wordlessly relieving themselves of their EVA suits. Smith's torso was bare with a massive bruise forming on his abdomen where the alien's tail had hit the armour. Even after it had completely skewered through Jackson's armour on both sides it still hit Smith with a bludgeoning force. The loss was clear on Smith's face as he smiled weakly as Watt's passed him to seat himself beside Drake who was trying desperately to wipe Lieutenant Ashley's blood from his face.

Watts had forgotten that her blood had stained them both and he grabbed a wet wipe to wipe the dry crimson from his face. It might have just been in his head but it seemed like he wasn't wiping any of it away. Merely rubbing it into his pores to seep into his very being permanently, he was blooded both in victory and in loss.

"Here." Emmett tossed them both bottles of water. "Soak your face first, those wipes are only good for hygiene and camo paint. They're shit for blood trust me." He turned to Jacobs motioning with another bottle but Jacobs just merely twisted his head.

"Where's Cutter and Straven?"

"In the Medbay tending to the civilian." Emmett spoke but Jacobs had already turned to walk away without reply.

"Are we not gonna talk about what the fuck just happened!" Emmett called out at his back.

Jacobs twisted on his heel, storming straight back into the room, he looked to be on the edge of madness. Bathed in blood, the whites of his eyes visible as he clutched the collected tags with an iron fist. "What is there to talk about Emmett huh?"

"Like what the fuck just hit us?"

"How the hell am I supposed to know you dumb shit, do I look like a xenobiologist!"

"At least I'm not dumb enough to lead my team into an ambush and get two of them killed." Emmett regretted the words as soon as they left his mouth but the damage was already done. Jacobs fist hammered perfectly into his left cheek and it sent him sprawling against Decker and Camp.

"Pack it in!" Smith roared but it wasn't enough to defuse the situation.

Before Emmett could get back to his feet Jacobs had already walked back to collect his kukri and he stormed towards his brother with mindless chaos in his eyes and the blade looking for blood. Emmett drew his pistol from his holster and aimed it at Jacobs' torso with every intent on using it if he took another step.

Smith blocked Jacobs' advance and wrapped his giant hands around his wrists holding him and the blade in place. Still Jacobs eyes never left Emmett and they failed to see the defeated look of fear from the rest of the team. They had already suffered enough loss without turning on each other. "Look at me Ryan!" Smith screamed in his face. He didn't obey the request for the first few seconds, he was still too focused on more bloodshed. Smith felt the rage roll off him in a wave of heat. "He didn't mean it Ryan, he's as strung out as we are." Still he felt Ryan resist his grasp but he finally made eye contact.

"Do you think this is what they all died for brother, what would Rain think of you if she saw this." Smith didn't shout the words, there wasn't any need as they sunk in. Smith could feel the result as the fight fell away and he backed away towards the lockers with the blade still in his hands.

Regret filled his heart as he tried his best to walk away from the shame of his actions. Emmett was an asshole sure but he never deserved to be threatened so. He made it to Jackson's locker and hammered his kukri through the locker next to it. Then he wrenched the thin metal door open revealing a ghost's possessions and the cold memories that followed.

It was a mess just as Jacobs expected, trash littered the locker floor in a rushed chaos, mostly empty soda tins and cigarette packets. A couple dirty shirts were hung on the railing alongside clean combat fatigues and his spare armour, Jacobs expected nothing less from a professional. On the inside of the door was a montage of different photos, some were of the battalion on a range of different conquered worlds. A few were from his trips to Haven with Smith on their drinking binges. One drew Jacobs attention as he crouched to peer closer, it was a photo of him and Jackson from his wedding. Garbed in their marine dress uniform they both looked so young, Jacobs still didn't recognise his younger self but Jackson's telltale sneer had never changed. Even through the grief and shock Ryan still produced a smile at seeing that grin.

Underneath the taped on photo dangled a beaded chain and he pulled of the photo to see the dog tags fall to the floor along with a folded piece of paper. He unfolded the paper to reveal a note written in Jackson's terrible handwriting with some parts scribbled out. He sat with his back against the open locker, laying down his blade and lighting a cigarette before reading.

 _"_ _Ryan_

 _If your reading this then that probably means I'm now dead. I don't know where to begin and to be honest I've had too much to drink. The rest of you lightweights are crashed out right now, I'm the last man standing for once. It's pretty lonely to be honest. I dunno why Smith brags about it so much._

 _I keep trying but it's hard to remember when we were kids, mostly it's just a blur. I remember that I was still as handsome and that you were a little shit with more balls than brains with an eye on the girl in maths class. I guess nothing's really changed then has it?_

 _Your out cold on your bunk right now, your definitely having some fucked up dreams cause you keep tossing and turning. Strig isn't taking his eyes off you. I know looking at you now that I'll go before you and I'm okay with it, I've made peace with it._

 _I really hope it ends soon, I'm sick of burying friends, worst of all is I'm sick of seeing what it's doing to you. Your not the man I used to know, we were only meant to serve our four years remember? Get it done and get fast tracked into the police that way you and Veronica could play happy families while we took on Wisconsin._

 _That battle changed something in you, that was our fucking time to put our plan in motion. We fought and bled for the fucking Corps. We did our share of duty and service._

 _Your the brother I never had Ryan but I hate you at times for what you did to her when we came back._

 _You know you should have died from your wounds on 202 but you fought to get back to her and the daughter you never met. Even with a newborn she never left you when you were recovering, she looked after you through everything. She did everything for you when you couldn't even wipe your own ass and how did you repay her? You fucking hit her because she tried to stop you from coming back to this._

 _That day I found her scared to death for you, waiting for you to come home, she never left you like you thought she would. She asked me that no matter what that I'd look after you. I have. Your too deep in the dead now for any hope at that life, she's not waiting anymore._

 _There's no going back for you so just don't let the family you sacrificed for this battalion go in vain. I don't care what you do with my body just don't forget the man you were and keep as many of them alive as you can._

 _Veronica always said you had a saviour complex just don't forget to save yourself._

 _Your brother._

 _Jackson._

His heart bled into the ink on the page as he lit the paper aflame, watching as the words were slowly branded into his soul.

The ship's intercom threw Sander's voice around all corners of the locker room, the flat audio bounced off the walls to create a metallic echo. "Jacobs we need you up on the bridge now, something's going on."

Jacobs lifted himself up on weak legs, leaning against the lockers he looked down at the burnt memoir and thoroughly stomped out the flame. All that was left were black crisped fragments and ashes. At this point he didn't give a shit if he triggered the fire suppression system, he needed the shower to wash away all the blood.

His stomping footsteps alerted the others to his oncoming presence and their eyes were ready to meet him but he didn't return the stares. He could feel the persecution hitting him like a bullseye at a firing range but his steps never faltered. Ripping his helmet up from the bench on the way breathing a silent sigh of relief as he exited the room.

"Jacobs I need you up here now!" Sanders' voice came out the intercom again with a sense of panic. Jacobs quickened his pace wondering how things could possibly get worse.

He arrived outside the Bridge a few minutes later to find the door still sealed shut. He hammered his fist on it, waiting for it to split open. He stared down to see weak, bloody scrapings in the cold floor with ripped out fingernails littering the floor like lost change.

"You didn't have a chance did you." The door opened behind him. "I'm sorry." He entered inside to see another enemy.

Jacobs could already hear Briggs' voice coming through from the tower back on Mars but even just by his voice the Gunnery Sergeant knew there was something off about his commander's tone. He saw the cause in the video feed, dressed to impress with an intimidating entourage. The screen to the left of the feed was showing the sensor readout of the Terragora and the Marine starship that was on an intercept course to their stationery position. Sanders handed him the headset.

"Ryan. We saw everything down here, I'm sorry about Jackson and Harrid but there's a development to your mission." Briggs said.

"Yeah no kidding. Maybe your friend down there can explain this 'development'." Jacobs wrapped his hand around the microphone, muting his next words to ears thousands of miles away. He turned to Gloves. "Ready the guns."

"What for?"

Jacobs didn't answer and he took his hand off the microphone as the suit approached the camera to be better heard. He could see the premature satisfaction on the corporate lapdog's face, he wished he was on the surface to cut it open wider.

"Sergeant I commend you and your men on your bravery and I'm sorry for your loss but you are receiving orders relayed from High Command to abandon the Maivron at it's current location and leave it unmolested. You and your team are to be subjected to a full quarantine at a commercial port in Haven, the coordinates are already sent. You will relinquish the civilian and the bodies of your comrades and your ship will be grounded until further notice."

"You never mentioned this you sonofabitch!" Briggs shouted, he took a step forward but was halted by the rifle barrel pointed at his head.

"Please be quiet Major." He looked back into the camera. "Failure to comply with these orders will result in the use of force and the detaining of your unit for treason."

Jacobs' face showed no recognition or any clue into his thoughts. He felt cornered, his heart was plummeting from a high orbit drop. His gloved hands gripped the console with the beginnings of a cold, nervous sweat trickling inside his suit. All eyes were on him and he had never felt more isolated in his entire life. Torn between damning or throwing them all under the bus he couldn't decide this insanity alone, he needed time.

"We'll make planetfall in a few hours." He said.

"Excellent." The suit replied.

The feed cut still leaving Jacobs with the eyes of Sanders and the remaining flight team still trained on him.

"Jacobs I won't dock us anywhere but home."

"Just get us away from that damn ship and prep the railgun to scuttle it. Be ready to fire and burn us home at a moments notice. Open up the secure emergency channel for an Exodus command." Jacobs was preparing for the worst and Gloves was ready to protest but his reply was strangled by a single look from the Gunnery Sergeant.

Without another word he left the bridge to see the civilian and after he was done there he was going to have to give his brothers and two young boys the mother of all ultimatums. He just wished the rest of the battalion would follow him in this madness, they were damned if they did and damned if they didn't.

The wraiths poked and prodded at him with needles and medical analysis equipment but he was numb to it all only focusing occasionally on the helmets they bore. He knew they were human but the skulls scraped into the masks reminded him so much of those hellish things. He didn't hear the words they were exchanging between each other, he was in the past watching her being taken.

They had been laying on the bunk, holding each other in a weary embrace filled with relief of the horror they had escaped. The others were busy plotting a course for the interior so the couple were left alone and the lonely quiet was a haven from the screams of the dead they left behind. He held her close feeling the heat of her body and the scent of her hair as she climbed on top of him to kiss him with the lust of life. They had made love with the passion that only escaping the jaws of death could provide.

She left the bed and picked up her clothes still wearing the ruffled up hairstyle she hated but he loved. She looked at him smiling with those glittering emerald eyes, he was exhausted from the experience and simply laid with his hands behind his head, grinning with satisfaction forgetting everything for a perfect moment.

The vent cover burst open on the wall to his right as a hissing shadow glided out, sucking all the light from his eyes as her scream stabbed his eardrums. Terror fired through every neuron in his brain as he leapt upwards with his back against the wall, fighting against the metal wall behind him to further distance himself from the monster. He wanted to do something, anything to help but his body was frozen in place by paralysing fear as it advanced on her.

She whimpered and sobbed uncontrollably as invisible eyes gazed at her naked vulnerability, it took its time consuming her helplessness. The tail was locked in a strike pose, quivering in excitement as the black talons closed in to grasp at her exposed, creamy skin. She cried out his name but still he was lodged into the corner of the bunk. Watching the clear liquid drip from a maw of devouring teeth as it salivated from the closeness of another victim.

She was as frozen as he was as it made the final step with a painful lack of haste. Slowly it reached outward, the oily touch of its talon-tipped hands made her recoil and with that small, erratic motion it uncoiled its unnatural speed and strength. The tail struck her like a whip before it gripped her with a crushing strength, piercing the skin. She was already unconscious as she was launched off her feet, being dragged towards the vent like a child's naked doll.

It was already too late but he tried to reach out and stop it. The monster snarled, lashing out with its hand as the claws tore open the layer of skin across his bare chest. He cried out in pain from the superficial wound, leaping backwards onto the bed to avoid further attack as he saw her for the last time. Locked in her last bastion of dreams she looked almost peaceful as the beast entered the vent as silently as it left. Dragging his bride away into the dark labyrinth of the Maivron's ventilation system. There were no screams, only the sounds of her body being pulled away further into the darkness.

His memory of that black hole was blinded away as his head was gripped tight, light flooded his right eye, then his left, searing him back into the numbing present. A door slid open as another figure entered on heavy steps. Traces of the flashlight's blinding core followed his vision as it met another black clad soldier. The words spoken were muddied in his fleeting grip on reality but the sparks of panic began to fire through the veil, pulling him into the lonely world.

"He's stable physically but mentally... this poor bastard is so far gone he's better off dead." Cutter said.

"Whatever, get back to the others, I need to ask him some questions."

"Grim I don't think your gonna get anything useful out of him." Straven said

"Just get back to the others for fuck's sake."

"Sure thing." Straven said with a tone lacking concern.

He heard his caregivers leave him with this unknown man who resonated a storm of hostile force. The slideshow of her beauty and her demise continued to flash in front of his eyes until the cold synthetic glove forcefully gripped the back of his neck. The pain and suddenness of the contact breached him from the depths of his own anguish into a living and present crystal clarity.

"Can you understand me?" The man spoke coldly, his voice breathing through the visage of death he bore with a machine like tone. As each word was spoken his grip tightened around the civilian's head. All he could conjure was a nod as he gazed into the visor-shielded bloodshot eyes that drew him into a prediction of further suffering.

"Good. Now your going to answer my questions or I'm going to break whatever is left of your mind. What is your name?"

He struggled to extract his birth name from the muddied waters of his memory, every time he was close he was pulled back to the memories of the Maivron or the menace in front of his eyes. "My... my name is... Sean."

"That's a start. Now I want to know exactly where you came from?"

The question opened up another channel of memories in his brain as hell appeared again with the sights and smells of the dead with the screams of the taken. He nodded weakly from side to side trying in vain to shake it all from him. "They're all gone... we were all split apart and cut off... we never stood a chance. We waited... we waited as long as we could but they never stood a chance." Agony arced in his torn heart for all his friends and family consigned to hell, all the families ripped and torn.

Pain hammered into his chest as a fist crashed into his freshly-bandaged wound. Tears of pain flowed with a cry as the bandage seeped blood into the sterile white gauze. Winded and struggling for breath, his survival instinct brought him more back into the world of the living.

"Where did you come from?" The Reaper growled, leaning his helmet into Sean's ear. "You got off lucky, you lived but I'll make you experience something close to their pain if you don't answer me."

"Midway!" Sean cried out holding his hand up weakly in a feeble attempt to halt any further blows. "We came from Midway. It's a colony on LV 202."

"I know where it is, there's nothing like these things on the planet. Where did they come from?" His interrogator never left him a moment to breath or an inch of personal space as those eyes continued to chase his scampering gaze.

Sean remembered the clear night sky as he laid next to her. Gazing into infinite thoughts and dreams of a future that would never be as the stars shone brighter than heaven littering the sunless expanse with constant, comforting light. He remember the strangely shaped craft as it's silhouette broke the constellations apart, landing in the valley beyond the colony complex. He remembered the titanic, rifle shaped marine ship as it landed, attracting the attention of the whole colony. He remembered the gossipers spreading the world of who had landed and the great opportunity he presented.

"They brought a ship, I never saw it but something happened a few nights later and they left the planet as quick as they arrived." Sean spoke, he was becoming more coherent by the second but still it wasn't the answer the marine was looking for.

"Who brought the ship Sean. I need a name. Now." His grip tightened again as the marine enforced his sense of power over Sean.

"It was Weyland. Everyone kept saying the colony heads were in a meeting with Benedict Weyland. I never saw him but they told us all that there was an opportunity to give our colony a blank check for anything we needed.

The Reaper's grip eased into memory as he stepped back giving Sean the space again to breath freely. Relief flooded through him as blood returned to his face.

"Are you sure it was him?" Something changed in those eyes locked behind the armoured façade, that cold determination wavered into a guarded, alarmed concern. Sean merely nodded a reply.

"Do you have any family left Sean?" It was an unsettling change in subject and her beauty pierced through the gap in Sean's broken heart again, wrenching the halves further apart.

"No." He sobbed. "My parents are dead and so is she. I don't even have a body to bury." He looked pleadingly into the marine's eyes again and noticed something strange. A kindred isolating sorrow. Sean leaned down again into his maddening torment for another few seconds.

He didn't know what he felt as the synthetic glove wrapped around his throat, his heart began to beat faster as he looked into those cold. His body moved without his mind's control as he saw his arms and legs flail in a weak attempt to resist but he didn't want them to. The grip continued to tighten, forcing him back until his head rested into the pillow and his breaths became quicker and more shallow. For those first few moments terror brought his heart into a racing pace as his eyes locked onto the demon above him, with its lifeless eyes and the jaws of his nightmare.

"There's nothing left for you here Sean but more hurt, just slip away and see her again." Death said soothingly and Sean's limbs exhausted themselves in his last panic. As his brain struggled to receive oxygen his heart slowed and small dots of light danced in his vision. He was numb to the pain as he was mercifully strangled of his inescapable torment. His vision darkened amongst the stars and he saw the cold night sky again warmed by her presence next to him and he slipped away from this harsh and unforgiving world.

Jacobs felt the life leave the young man's body underneath the thin material of his glove and he withdrew his hand to close his eyes forever. He knew there was nothing left for him in this universe but further despair. Yet this thought did nothing to ease the shame Jacobs felt. He had killed countless people over the years with unmatched hostility and violence but this was something else entirely. Sean was an innocent but Jacobs believed wholeheartedly that what he committed wasn't cold blooded murder but a righteous mercy.

He could imagine his daughter's disgust at the act he had just performed but sometimes the right thing to do was the hard thing, the unforgivable. With the information Sean had provided the stakes were displayed in this game he and his men had unwillingly entered. Most importantly his decision was made for him, he knew the greedy eyes that desired these monsters of the void. He knew the severity of their desire and their disregard of any life that stood in their way.

The pain of what he had experienced as well as the despise he inflicted on himself over the past day was a crushing weight on his soul. But the danger his brothers were in required strength from him and so he forced those feelings down and choked the life out of them. He couldn't escape the memories but neither could he become what Sean was, weakened and broken beyond repair.

He pulled off his helmet and gazed one last time at weakness personified on the gurney that he had to leave behind. Looking to his helmet he stared into the skull scratched into the metal. The masks were to intimidate the enemy, to give the impression that they weren't fighting mere men but an impossible, determined force that would claim their lives no matter what. He stared into the likeness of death and saw his own reflection with a comforting reception. With a heart made of stone he left the room and the innocent to join his fellow Reapers.

Despite the nature of his departure all of 1st squad listened intently to what their leader had to say without interruption. Watts and Drake sat quietly unsure of their position in all of this, to them it almost sounded like Jacobs was offering them a choice in this decision of grave and damning proportions.

They didn't really see it as a choice though despite their conflicting thoughts. Despite only knowing these marines for a few days they felt that same righteous brewing rage that emanated from the veterans. Watts had finally found his family and now it was under attack and at risk of being torn apart by the remorseless greed of others unworthy. He and Drake knew their place and kept quiet as the others finally began to voice their thoughts.

"They must really want these things bad and by the sounds of it they want this shitshow kept quiet." Boomer said, he still wore defeat like a cloak, weighing down his cannonball shoulders.

"So what!" Dacker shouted. "We're meant to commit treason and be hunted down till we're all in cuffs or dead?"

"Do you honestly think they're going to let us all walk away from this knowing what we know." Smith pointed out.

"What exactly are those corporate assholes going to do? Kill all five hundred of us?" Dacker said.

"They're not going to do anything, the Corps or at least Admiral Jordan is. That's why the Reya is closing in on us." Jacobs said.

"And the civvie confirmed where the Maivron came from?" Cutter asked.

"Midway." He answered.

"Fuck." Smith added

"How is the civvie looking anyway." Mallek asked.

"He's dead." Jacobs said casually.

Everyone was briefly stunned by the news, Cutter and Straven especially since they had spent the last hour treating him. He was an innocent and a part of the mission, he was part of the suit's demands so their choice was already made for them.

"Are you fucking mad Jacobs!" Cutter was on his feet staring down his commander defiantly.

"I don't know what I am anymore but you and I both know he is better off dead."

"This is FUBAR. Your going to lead us all to our death!" Cutter continued.

"If we follow these orders we'll all be locked up or killed anyway." Smith got up to stand beside Jacobs. "C'mon lads we've been doing the Corps dirty work for years because in their eyes we're fucking expendable. Where do your loyalties lie? The Corps? Or with Jacobs whose saved our lives more than once. Emmett, speak up man."

The sniper locked those cold eagle eyes with Jacobs and launched himself upwards. Some of the others thought he was going to attack Jacobs but the Gunnery Sergeant didn't flinch. Emmett left the group and wandered into the columns of lockers behind them. He returned momentarily holding Jacobs' kukri by the blade, walking up to him Emmett forced the weapon into his hands.

"I'm sorry. No matter where we go, I'm with you till the end." Emmett said, his face tense with determination. "Tool."

"Yes sir."

"Activate the Exodus command. Encrypted channels to each tech specialist in the battalion. We're going to Midway."

"Consider it done." Tool replied, his fingers silently danced on his datapad as he sent the command through the ship's communication antennae. Sanders would see the command and slingshot it to the Pit where the battalion would receive their order in a few minutes. The Exodus order was an emergency contingency, it's objective was simple. Every Reaper would be combat ready to leave the Mars within the hour.

"Great. We're all gonna die." Dacker still wasn't happy but he was loyal and would follow his orders to the letter.

"Oh shut up Bruce." Bruiser wrapped his arm around Dacker. "It's better to die fighting, besides your miserable enough as it is, I can't imagine you growing old, you'd be unbearable. We've beaten the odds before."

"Right shitheads, get your gear ready." Smith ordered the veterans and they moved to release themselves of the EVA suits before adorning their normal combat armour. As they moved away the two young privates stood alone in front of the three commanders.

"This isn't your fight." Emmett said. "No one would decry you for wanting to stay behind, I'll make sure you have safe passage to Haven and enough money to get by for a while."

"We're staying sir." Drake said.

"You two realise that we are committing treason. There's no parade or medals waiting for you at the end of this." Jacobs said.

"I don't care." Watts said. "I've had no family until now and I'd rather die doing something right than live alone ashamed of myself." Watts spoke and the pride in his eyes was obvious.

"Christ Ryan you did pick them right." Smith smiled, it was the first smile broken on the ship since they had made it back.

"I didn't expect anything less. Go and get yourselves re-armed, this day is just getting started." Jacobs said.

"Yes sir." Both privates said and they left the trio.

"So what are we going to do about Briggs?" Smith asked.

"Never mind that what are we going to about Peterson and the Reya? She's a fleet carrier, she's got more guns than us and a size advantage to boot." Emmett said.

"She's slower though and still on the other side of the planet. That gives us just over two hours to get down and back out. With Briggs we're going to have to let the others down below sort that out, it needs to be done before we break orbit or they'll see us coming." Jacobs activated a comm line to the bridge.

"Gloves use the Exodus channel and tell Terah what's going on in the tower. Our corporate problem needs to be dealt with ASAP. Get us home and destroy that fucking ship."

"Roger that."

"Let's get ready to become traitors boys." Jacobs said and they joined their brothers in preparation for rebelling against their corrupt masters. Sometime later as they sat ready to enter orbit a subtle vibration rocked through the ship. Everyone looked to each other with a smile tinged with the madness of oncoming danger and their aggressive defiance of it.

"Here we go boys." Jacobs spoke as another three shocks were absorbed by the ship.

The Terragora streamed through the still, black waters of space towards the glowing red shores of Mars. It sailed in the complete silence of the eternal vacuum as the railgun fired, the barrel flaring light into the constant night sky as the supersonic round travelled hundreds of miles in silence. It hammered into the derelict Maivron without a sound as the ship split apart into three segments with countless smaller pieces scattering outward. They joined the image of the stars as the sun's light reflected against each tiny fragment as three more rounds struck home. The three pieces were reduced to floating debris as the horror it contained was destroyed but never forgotten.

Barely a word was spoken in the Tower in the past two hours, the silence was excruciating at points but no one dared speak for a moment in the suffocating atmosphere. It was if time had stopped still and the only movement was coming from the radar monitor showing the Terragora's journey back to Mars leaving the motionless Maivron dead in the water. The eyes of everyone in that room never left the Terragora's signal, apart from the corporate security who were watching Briggs and Bishop like a hawk.

The sun was slowly rising on the red planet as a glorious beam of solar light pierced through the windows surrounding three sides of the control room signalling the end of the limbo Briggs was experiencing. Another dust storm was on the horizon with the rising sun as small pieces of dirt and debris weakly clattered off the window.

Almost on cue with the coming storm a single beep emanated from the radar monitor as the Maivron disappeared from existence. No one noticed it at first, its presence was so sure and resolute that its absence wasn't believed. Briggs was the first to notice and he knew exactly why, his heart began to race at the thought of what was coming.

"What happened? Why have we lost the signal!" The suit shouted in panic, stepping closer to the screen almost hoping that after every step the Maivron's signal would reappear but his hope never appeared.

"Get me a line to Captain Anderson. Now!" He screamed towards one of the personnel seated by their desk. A mercenary stepped forward, emphasising the need for urgency by aiming his weapon directly at the man's head.

"Yes sir." The technician typed away to open up the channel. The suit stared daggers at the Major, his superiors would rain hell on him for losing such a prize and he was being sabotaged by these section 8 deserving grunts.

"I told you not to underestimate him." Briggs said blankly as Captain Anderson's face came alive on the main monitor.

"Captain inform Admiral Jordan that the Maivron has been destroyed and bring that goddamn ship down."

"He has already been notified and I'll be entering orbit soon, the Terragora has already made planetfall." Captain Peterson spoke with the face of a petulant child who had just been scolded by a parent. Briggs knew that heads would roll for today's events and the cause was visible.

Looking to the red tinted sky the black obelisk that was the Terragora was visible in the morning sun, she was speeding past the oncoming storm effortlessly. She was coming home to claim her own and reap bloody justice on those deemed unworthy. Despite the madness of it all Briggs smiled at the tenacity and daring of his best men as they closed in.

In amongst the developing situation he was the only one to notice the small hand sized circles that had appeared on the top of every window pane. He saw the small red light on one of the charges switch off and he closed his eyes, staying as still as humanly possible as he pressed his palms into his ears. He knew what was coming, bloody rebellion.

The windows shattered around the control room simultaneously as screams rose while shards of glass fell, they were followed by what marines had come to call sonic electronic ballbreakers. In a second the senses of everyone in the room exploded in blinding light and deafening bangs. Briggs opened his eyes to the sight of a squad of his Reapers rappelling into the room, before their boots landed on the floor the corporate security were dead in a volley of accurate, caseless bullets.

The suit was still squirming from the paralysing effects of the ball breakers. He was on his knees with a deafening ringing in his ears as his sight returned from the light. He was surrounded by smoking barrels and grinning skulls, behind the Reapers he could see Anderson staring at him in shock.

"Major you and your battalion are ruined." Anderson spoke like he thought his words would actually make any difference.

"Shut the fuck up." A female voice came from one of the Reapers as she slammed a metal finger from her prosthetic arm onto the comm station's termination key. Terah pulled away the balaclava revealing her scarred face and it was one of the most beautiful sights Briggs had ever seen.

"Sorry we took so long Major." She said walking towards him. Bishop stood beside him unfazed by the concussive effects the rest of the staff still suffered from. Terah couldn't help but see some form of sadness or disappointment from the synthetic as he stared at the corpses. She discarded the thought for now.

"Jacobs activated the Exodus order. I received an encrypted message about your situation. He wants him kept alive." She motioned her hand towards the suit who was still kneeling, stripped naked of his fragile power. "Major what the hell is going on? What happened up there?" She asked, staring at the dead mercs littering the floor beside broken glass and the traumatised non combatants.

"We'll explain later, is everyone ready?" He said, clearly unfazed by the split second siege.

"Yeah they're standing by in the Pit sir." Terah answered.

"Bishop how long have we got before the Reya is here?" Briggs asked.

Bishop took a moment to assess the Fleet Carrier's course and speed. "It'll break orbit in just over an hour."

"It's gonna be close." Terah added.

The dust storm's outer edge blew over Camp Elder with a vicious force as the Terragora descended into the mounting supports, their audible strain was near overtaken by the howling wind as she settled down into the docking cradle. The docking platform beside it was almost invisible under the waiting ranks of the 18th Battalion. Briggs stood at the head of his marines dressed in armour that he hadn't worn in some time. The chest piece felt tight despite his constant regime of exercise, he hadn't been on the ground on a combat drop in a few years and he felt as nervous as a recruit. Beside him stood Terah who was holding tightly to the cable tied wrists of the suit who still refused to relinquish his name.

Despite being the leader of these marines he felt the aura of power stripped from him as Jacobs exited through the main airlock to greet them. The Gunnery Sergeant looked like he had aged ten years since he last saw him only hours ago, something had changed, something was gone. There was a soulless determination to his demeanour as he waved the masses of black garbed marines to enter the ship. That should've been Briggs order to give but he let the formality slide.

"Is this everyone?" Jacobs asked. Briggs noted the distinct lack of any emotion in his voice.

"Everyone and everything Grim including this piece of shit." Terah said throwing the suit down onto his knees. "He hasn't said a word since we grabbed him."

"That can be remedied. Secure him inside."

"Yes sir." Terah forced the suit back on his feet and pushed him onwards to follow the others into the belly of the ship.

The inner circle of the storm began to reach Camp Elder as the wind pushed grains of martian dust all around the dock but still Jacobs and Briggs stood unmoving.

"I'm sorry it came to this Craig, I had to do it." Jacobs said.

"I know you did, the question is what do we do now?" Briggs replied.

"Those things are on 202, they've infested Midway." Jacobs said and for the first time in forever Briggs could see a hint of fear on Jacobs' face.

"Did the civilian tell you this?" Briggs asked, his head peered around looking for one of Ryan's team bringing the civilian out to leave him here

"He did." Jacobs said

"Where is he? We can't just take him with us."

"I killed him. We can't have any loose ends." Jacobs didn't bat an eyelid at the admission of murder. Despite being a killer Briggs knew the man had certain principles that he'd never betray until now. The Major now saw a man turning into the monster his reputation had only depicted him as. Perhaps it was the monster they needed.

"Jesus Ryan what has happened to you?" Briggs asked knowing the answer wouldn't help in anyway.

"I'm doing what needs to be done. I need to explain to them what's going on and I can't do it alone. They might kill me for forcing them into this situation. If they do just make sure you keep them on the mission and get enough to bring the bastards responsible for all this down." Briggs knew what he meant, most of the battalion didn't know that they were already branded as traitors by association. Jacobs was willing to walk back into that ship knowing that they might kill him for forcing them into this death sentence. He looked ready to accept his death just as long as his men were guaranteed to fight another day.

Briggs nodded and left Jacobs to head inside as the last Reapers continued on, behind them all was the Battalion's gunsmith Sergeant Black holding onto a leashed Strigoi who was straining to reach his master.

"Thank you for looking after him Ben." Jacobs said, forcing a smile as the warhound greeted him with devoted love.

"Don't worry about it, he's been as good as gold." Ben said as he handed him the lead, looking at the barely visible strain on Jacobs' face. "What did you guys see up there?"

"Something worse than us." Jacobs said and they walked back inside to leave home soil, possibly never to return.

The Terragora's engines burned with a blazing light near equal to the sun as its colossal weight was lifted from shore and it flew upwards. Breaching Mars' artificially controlled atmosphere as it sailed into the never-ending black horizon. The Reya was too late in enacting its mission of false justice as it floated over Camp Elder a half hour later. The personnel returning from Haven arrived to the news of the Reapers' heinous and cowardly treason. Within an hour the story was spread across the network through a hundred media channels. Another hour later and the gullible masses were discussing it in their millions as the lie stretched all the way back to Earth.

The Terragora's dropship bay was expansive compared to other smaller marine ships. Designed to house twenty Cheyennes retrofitted as solely troop carriers rather than their counterparts designed to hold APCs. The only APC the Reapers had acted as a command and control centre but it was space trash now, collateral damage to rid the ship from it's parasitic invader. Apart from Jacobs, his team and Major Briggs the entirety of the battalion was seated on the floor like children in an assembly waiting for the spoken word of their leaders. Even Captain Phillips was seated beside the grunts and NCOs sharing their collective wanting for information. A reason for today's drama that resulted in the hasty evacuation of their home base and the chase that had followed from a ship filled with sibling marines.

Jacobs could feel hundreds of eyes on him as he stood with his back against the wall. His ears bathed in the hushed, rumouring whispers of his brothers and sisters as he readied himself to inform them of their damnation by his hand. Briggs walked forward from his side, signifying that the time had come to plead his case and face judgment. He just wished there was some way they could see what he and his men had seen.

"Everyone shut it and listen up!" Briggs roared silencing every whispering conversation.

Jacobs noticed that Bishop was pushing a loading trolley across the front of the battalion with a device seated on top of it. Briggs motioned for Jacobs and his squad to move to the side which only heightened Jacobs curiosity in what the Major had planned. They stood to the side and watched Bishop tinker with the device until it activated and lit the wall where they had just stood in light and after a few seconds the projector displayed bloody history.

Most of 1st squad didn't watch the footage shown, the image was still too fresh in their minds. Instead they watched the reaction of the rest of the battalion as their voices screamed out to every length of the bay from the too recent past. For the next fifteen minutes they witnessed the beasts that had laid their best bare and the deaths of Jackson and Harrid. The last piece of video was from Jacobs' perspective as he sent the grenade down to end his best friend.

The collective montage of monsters and the dead ended leaving the wall paved in a spotlight and Jacobs left his men to address everyone on what they had just seen. Jacobs was still wearing the EVA suit and the blood of his comrades was dried into the synthetic material. The blood was highlighted under the intense light as well as the fresh scar dug into his chest armour. He was thankful for the light blinding his eyes as they stared into a bright oblivion, forcing him from making eye contact with the hundreds in front of him.

He told them every little detail of the past day. His admission of leading them all into treason raised a number of protesting shouts but it was nothing compared to what Jacobs expected. He thought that they would throw themselves at him in murderous waves, pounding him with closed fists until he was nothing more than battered paste. Part of him wish they would just get it over and done with. Still they stayed mostly silent as he finished his explanation and threw himself at their mercy.

"I made the decision I thought was right at the time and I'm sorry I placed you all in this position."

"So what do we do now?" A voice from the silent mass spoke.

"These things are on 202. The colony there has been wiped out and infested with them. According to the civvie we rescued Weyland Yutani brought an alien ship to the colony and left with it after some time. We're going to wipe the place clean of infestation and after that we are hunting the alien ship." Even now he could still see a questioning doubt in their eyes, perhaps they thought he was crazy. He didn't feel anything but a roaring tide of anger.

"For years I've been fighting unis, pirates and terrorists. Every battle I have ever fought in has been for greed or politics. I'm sick of burying brothers and sisters from battles that never stop coming for a pointless fucking cause. I won't lie I know I might be leading you all to your deaths but I won't go back to being a fucking lap dog for hire! Will you?" Jacobs shouted that last sentence, he was never one for public speaking but the cauldron of violent rage brewing within him needed venting.

"I won't sit and play nice when someone threatens my family with death or prison and I don't think you would either. The Corps might call me a traitor but why do I feel like we're the ones betrayed!" His voice rung out among each and every one of them, the defiant anger they were feeling overtook any doubt they were holding.

"Those monsters are an enemy worth fighting but I won't force you into this. As far as I'm concerned you can drop me at Midway and I'll kill those things and the money that brought them there myself! Or are you with me?" He roared.

A thousand lungs expelled their loyalty towards him as the battalion stood with fists in the air and it took Jacobs all of his exhausted willpower to not collapse from relief. His relief was reinforced twofold as Briggs walked alongside him.

"You have your mission so I want this ship prepped for a combat drop!" Briggs shouted to the crowd of riled up killers. "I want every marine, every piece of ordinance and equipment on this ship ready before we hit the freezers. You have three hours people so get a move on!"

The battalion dispersed and made their way to follow their orders as Captain Phillips made his way to Jacobs and Briggs.

"Not a bad speech Sergeant." The Captain said

"It worked, they didn't kill me." Jacobs said, the exhaustion was clear in his voice.

"You do realise that high command won't just let us fly away into the distance. They're going to come for us and then what do we do? Kill marines for just obeying orders?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Briggs said. "You know that ship that the civilian mentioned when Ryan questioned him."

"What about it?" Phillips said.

"It entered Earth orbit a few days ago, bypassed the Shanghai gatekeeper without inspection."

Phillips pointed to the wall. "Those things are on Earth?"

"Just think Phillips." Jacobs spoke. "A handful of those aliens wiped out all of 5th squad and nearly killed us too. They'd make great bioweapons, they'd end the stalemate we've had with the unis without risking a single life on our side. Imagine the money that could made from them"

"You failed to tell the rest of the battalion that." Phillips eyes were wide open.

"If he did they'd all want to through themselves straight at Earth and we'd be hunting blind, deaf and dumb." Briggs said. "We need to play our hand smartly, we still don't really know what we're dealing with or where exactly this alien ship is. Plus I want evidence to take back to any members of high command that the companies don't have in their pockets."

"Good luck finding them." Jacobs said.

"Let me worry about that. For now we other problems so let's get everything ready."

Jacobs joined his squad and they started to play their part of readying the Terragora for battle. No one was left with idle hands as they readied the tools of their trade. Even Drake and Watts despite their lack of experience or knowledge threw themselves into every task they could. They experienced no sense of alienation from the other Reapers as they worked alongside them. They were proven and bloodied marines now and they joined the others as they laboured away like drones to ready their transporting mother for war.

After hours of tireless effort the battalion and the Terragora were finally ready to walk into the gates of hell. Every dropship was refuelled and armed for a combat drop, every gun in the battalion's arsenal was loaded and ready. Every Reaper was ready to bring death to their alien enemy. Now all there was to do was sleep the journey away towards the unknown.

The cryosleep pods were lined in long columns of white frozen coffins and the Reapers made their final preparations before the machines subdued their bodies into a near fatal slumber. Conversations started and ended in a steady rhythm as each squad laid down to three weeks of dreams until finally only 1st squad were left awake. Dressed down to their underwear they were busy making final checks on each of their pods.

"It's like they're all dead." Drake spoke as he stared at the rows of sleeping marines.

"Didn't they cover cryosleep in basic?" Emmett asked.

"Yeah but we were only knocked out for a few hours to see if our bodies coped with it." Watts replied.

"Oh you two are in for a rough time when we wake up." Boomer laughed.

"Better make sure we leave a bucket next to your tubes. Just make sure you dispose of it quickly. Three week old frozen stomach contents smell fucking disgusting." Simmons spoke as he entered his cryotube, the upper half slowly descended with a gentle hum until it sealed shut. Watts watched the rifleman's open eyes close within only a few seconds.

"I fucking hate this part." Marty said as he entered his tube. "See you kids on the other side." He said to Drake and Watts before his pod closed and one by one the squad entered until only Smith and the two privates were left awake.

"Where's Jacobs and Bishop?"

The smartgunner merely smiled after he made the final checks on their pods. "There's some things the boss still has to do and it's better done alone. C'mon lets get you two tucked in, I've got a feeling it's gonna be the best sleep your gonna get in a while." He motioned them both to tuck into their cold metal beds. There would be no warm milk or cookies, no bedtime stories to help influence beautiful dreams. Only the sinking memory of the nightmare they all raced towards.

Watts entered the pod, laying his near naked body onto the cold unyielding bed. Goosebumps rose all over his skin and his heart began to quicken in pace as the lid lowered. With each closing inch his pulse raced more, this felt unnatural, his mind panicked with the thought that he'd never wake up again. He'd experienced the sensation before but it did nothing to ease his nerves, a cold fear chilled his spine as the memory of the alien invaded his mind.

Finally the pod sealed shut and Watts was left alone listening to his rapid, short breaths. A female voice spoke emotionlessly inside the pod. "Calibrating delivery system for new user please wait." A small scanner flipped out of the side. It glided over his body with a rhythmic hum as light passed each inch of him before returning into its compartment.

"Body mass calculated. Delivering sedative." The voice spoke once more as thin jets of invisible gas aired silently under Watts' feet.

He didn't realise how anyone could sleep in the state he was in but the sedative worked its magic. He felt a cold grasp slowly pull him away from the world as his eyelids grew heavy and without realising it he was asleep. He was a thin, spindly child again alone with his father who held an empty whiskey bottle and a burning cigarette in his hands. He was trapped and committed to this inescapable suffering for the next three weeks as he endured the past, locked into his very own dimension of familiar pain.

Jacobs nostrils were filled with the stench of urine soaked fear. He was kneeling with his chin rested over his hands holding his kukri blade with the tip attempting to pierce the metal floor as blood dripped down the silk smooth steel into a pool under his boots. He gazed at the man he now knew as Peter Hart, an acquisitions executive working under Gencorp who was tasked with the retrieval of the Maivron.

He stared at the man cable tied to the chair in the cargo hold, surrounded by the bodies of Jacobs comrades sealed in uniform body bags. Peter's once pristine suit was torn to pieces, stained with blood, sweat and tears. Jacobs couldn't help but wonder at that point how much that suit had cost. He didn't seriously injure Peter, merely gave him incentive to finally break his silence with screams of pain. Jacobs had established that Peter was a good dog, ready to do anything to please his master no matter the consequence. Just like Strigoi who stood beside the Sergeant with a drooling maw of hungry teeth ready to sink them into flesh at his master's command.

"You know where the name Strigoi comes from." Jacobs asked almost casually to which he received only a weak shake of Peter's head.

"It's from Romanian mythology, they are the troubled spirits of the dead that rise from their graves and feed on the lifeforce of the living. Vampires." Jacobs said as he laid his blade onto the floor and smoked another cigarette. He tilted his head to the warhound. "You know what he is, he's a bioweapon much like the those creatures your bosses are so desperate to acquire. I found him in the abandoned sector of the research complex during our little scrap with the unis on 202. A team had breached the wall into his containment cell. I entered to secure it and found him surrounded by the bodies of that squad."

Jacobs patted Strigoi on his head as he continued. "He was tearing the throat out of the last when I found him and probably would've done the same to me if events after that were different. Now he follows every command I give him."

His hand left the warhound's head and he sucked in another drag before exhaling command. "Kill."

Strigoi moved his massive weight like lightning on genetically engineered legs but just before his yearning jaws reached Peter, Jacobs voice snapped like a whip cracking of the floor.

"Stop!"

He obeyed and Peter's eyes were frozen to the drooling teeth that were mere inches from his face. Hot, hungry breath pierced under the layer of sweat to infect every pore with terror.

"That's true power, the power to take a life on command, not the power you think you had back on Mars, your power is built on money as weak as a sheet of paper. What your seeing now is what my best friend saw just before he died. He stared into the jaws of those creatures and fought till his last breath. I can't see you doing the same. Your too pitiful a human being to let live so you have the choice to die slowly or you can tell me what I want to know and it will be quick."

"Please my superiors told me nothing. I don't know where the ship is!" Peter wailed, his exhausted, tortured body quivering. His instincts screamed at him to flee but he was powerless, every time he pulled his head back for space the hound's bared teeth followed. "There was a contingency plan."

"What contingency? Tell me Peter!" Jacobs stood up from his seat to stand over him.

"The colony... there's a ship headed to the colony to gather a specimen and eradicate any evidence. I swear it's all I know."

"So they're plan is to what? Beat Weyland to the punch of weaponizing these things and cleaning up his mess at the same time. Jesus you corporate fuckers' moral compass is so corrupt I'm surprised you even find your way out the womb." Jacobs sucked in one last draw before throwing the cigarette to the floor. "Is that all?"

"Yes it's all I know I swear to fucking god!" Peter screamed, looking away from the teeth that hungered for his throat.

"Then I'm afraid your time's up Peter."

"You said you'd make it quick." He stared into Jacobs eyes, desperate for a swift death. A flip of the switch without any more pain.

"I will." As Jacobs spoke those final words he tapped Strigoi twice on his back giving him a silent command.

Strigoi leapt on the man, pushing his chair backwards and flooring him. A single scream pitched before it was torn out Peter's throat. The only sounds that could be heard afterwards were Strigoi's determined growls and the wet tearing of soft, supple flesh as he continued to devour him.

"I didn't say it would be painless." Jacobs said as he sat back on the seat, clicking his tongue Strigoi stopped his bloodletting and returned to his master. The grey fur of his head was saturated and dripping to his skin with fresh blood, happy he had pleased his master.

He knew exactly how he would end the suit and had come prepared for the mess that coated his primal companion. He reached for the bucket full of water and emptied it over the warhound's face as he patted the worst of the blood out of his fur.

"C'mon boy it's time for bed." He said as he gazed into those loving eyes. They were greeted upon exiting the cargo hold by Bishop who was waiting idly for their return. Despite not being human Bishop was able to conjure a relationship to the furred bioweapon and it showed as he nuzzled his artificial hand.

"Is he dead?" Bishop asked to which he received only a nod from the world weary commander.

"Did he know the location of the alien ship?" Bishop queried further.

"No but we're gonna have some company when we get to Midway." Jacobs said as he glanced one last time at the bodies and blood in the hold before sealing the door.

"I thought as much, would you like me to do it?"

"Please, I've dealt with enough death for one day."

"I know, I can see it."

Jacobs self consciously looked to his suit for the blood but he couldn't see it. It had washed off his second skin with the water he had used to cleanse Strigoi. He didn't see what the synthetic meant as Bishop pressed the airlock control. Venting the hold inside, cleansing it of every body and every drop of blood. All of the day's casualties were shot into the infinite void, their shells would drift on forever as their spirits had already left this life.

They made their way to the cryo deck without another word spoken, it was one of the things Jacobs' liked most about the android. He didn't feel the need to force conversation into those moments of lingering quiet. They arrived to see everyone already in cryosleep and he continued to the segment of tubes reserved for his squad. The sight of two of them empty shouldn't have surprised him but it was just another reminder to the cold reality.

He swallowed another pang of grief and Bishop helped him peel the EVA suit off. First the armour had to be taken apart and it was tossed to the floor, the sound crashed through the unsettling silence in the deck. Once free of the rubber skin Jacobs' scarred torso was exposed and the cold air crawled along each healed wound, the injuries were old but the pain still lingered with fresh reminders.

"Thank you Bishop that will be all." Jacobs said facing away from the synthetic, staring into Jackson's empty pod lying open and waiting to receive its user.

"Yes sir." Bishops voice spoke in that same tone, and the lack of expected judgment irritated the Sergeant but he was too tired to discuss it and he let him walk away.

Jacobs ordered Strigoi up into Jackson's cryotube. The warhound obeyed and he hoisted his heavy body into the pod. He was lowered down into a prone position by his master's gentle reassuring touch.

"Easy boy. Computer scan new user." He said before pulling his arm back as the scanner deployed and analysed the massive canine. After it was complete Jacobs continued to just sit and clap Strigoi, looking into his eyes as they reassured each other in silence.

"Time to dream boy." Jacobs said softly and he activated the sleep cycle. Standing as the lid slowly lowered down. With the absence of Jacobs' touch Strigoi climbed back to his feet. "C'mon dont be a pussy. I'll walk you when I wake up." Strigoi lowered himself again and Jacobs watched his eyes slowly close until he was asleep.

With the family tucked in he climbed into his own pod and activated the sleep cycle. As the lid sealed shut and the gas began to fill his lungs he held onto the pendant thinking of his daughter's beautiful, heart-warming smile. Isolated and alone he let his defences down for the memory of her to transport him to dreams of a happier time. His eyes grew heavy, accompanying dreams of a loving past. Before the drugs overcame him though her face morphed into the smile of the monster and its drooling inner jaw pierced him one last time. A scream caught in his throat as he was forced into sleep.


	12. Chapter 11: Forsaken

" _Everything I do, I do it for the betterment of humanity. Yes nothing good comes free but every success has its cost. More importantly everything I do, I do it for my children. That's what every parent should strive for, to leave the bounty of our life's accomplishments. A gift to secure their future when we are gone. It's true, my life's work has made me miss a lot of both their lives. In the end though when I die and join my wife I hope the inheritance I leave behind will help heal the neglect. My son and daughter are my pride but also my regret as money can help you in many ways but it doesn't help make you a better parent."_

 _An extract from Benedict Weyland's autobiography 'Building Better Worlds'_

The skin on Benedict's chest parted like wet paper as the scalpel glided downward with nearly no pressure applied by Andrew. Beginning just below the breast bone and ending six inches below. Andrew retracted the bloodied instrument before handing it to one of the assistants who dropped it a little too loudly into the liquid-filled container. The assistant jerked at the sound staring apologetically at Andrew as the other assistants and medical technicians froze for a moment. Standing beside him was Dr Monroe who stood calmly, overlooking the procedure and to provide assistance if needed. They couldn't be too careful, not with this patient.

Andrew knew the cause of their anxiety, they were performing emergency surgery on the wealthiest and most powerful man alive. He was satisfied in his choice to lead the procedure, if anything he felt this strange feeling of pride. He logged the sensation for further investigation at a later time for now he had to extract the embryo and safely isolate it.

"Vitals?" He asked, his arms raised to chest height.

Another assistant turned to the collection of monitors analysing the ticking clock of Benedict's body. "Nominal so far sir, no changes as of yet."

Sir? He had never been called such a word, before entering this room every human apart from Annabelle had treated him as what he was, a machine, a tool. Now they lingered on his every word and action like children. Everyone apart from Doctor Monroe and most importantly Charles who was observing the procedure from the next room. Most children witnessing their fathers in such a situation would be beyond distraught, their helplessness manifesting in tears and dread. Charles showed no such emotion, he was as lifeless as Andrew with something hidden, keeping him ticking along to torment his next plaything.

His current toy Annabelle was locked in her room in a deep and prolonged state of shock. Andrew was compelled by something other than programming to tend to her in her suffering. Unresponsive and dead to the world the second heir to the kingdom was the talk of the facility but only when her brother's ears were far away.

"Sir."

He needed to return to her as soon as the surgery was complete. He pondered on her condition, hoping for an optimal recovery. Questioning if his course of treatment was the correct one, he was used to dealing in black and white, his existence a collection of 1s and 0s. He was no more than a child in trying to understand the grey, winding labyrinth of human emotion.

"Andrew! His vitals are rising." Dr Monroe called and Andrew was suddenly made aware of the room's eyes looking at him, transfixed and shocked.

"I'm sorry. I was processing possible scenarios. Prepare the container." He lied poorly, unused to the nuances of withholding the truth. He sent troubleshooting programs throughout every system, reviewing every code but no fault was registered. What had his father cursed him with, these human weaknesses. Time was of the essence as Benedict's audible pulse increased in pace.

He inserted his white, gloved fingers into the open wound, thousands of sensors registered soft warmth as he probed deeper. They were so sensitive he could feel the heartbeat of his creator vibrate across the organs his hand brushed against. He felt something else, something moving out of tune with the rhythmic motion of his lungs.

He knew he found the parasitic embryo and gripped it delicately. With the information already catalogued on the creatures he expected some form of defence or resistance. No such attack came as he felt the serpentine infant wrap its slick body around his hand. Carefully Andrew started pulling it back towards the opening at a snail's pace.

"I'm holding the embryo, stand by with the container." He said with a patient and calm demeanour. "Doctor if you could I would advise stepping back please." Monroe cautiously followed the synthetic's gentle command.

It began writhing in his grasp, according to Dr Monroe the embryo was estimated to be an hour away from beginning the birthing phase. It already felt massive and powerful as it continued to squeeze his hand like a vice. He continued pulling until only his hand remained submerged inside his master. He turned to the frozen audience looking at him with tension contorting what features were visible behind the surgical masks.

"I'm going to pull the specimen out now." One assistant stood beside him with the container, clearly anxious of what was coming. His hand pulled away from the suction Benedict's body was creating, then the new arrival emerged.

Dripping with blood and wrapped around Andrew's gloved hand the alien was revealed in full light. It appeared dead at first glance, its upper half sagging downward giving it an appearance of vulnerability. Still the assistant moved the container cautiously towards it, his hands visibly shaking with every closing inch. The infant raised it's head slightly causing the approaching container to cease motion but as soon as he stopped the phallic head lowered again.

"Careful." Monroe breathed in awe. It was one thing to look at the beast through a layer of protective glass. It was another level entirely to stand in the presence of it, feeling its untapped power roll over them all in waves.

Andrew moved the creature towards the mouth of the glass container and the tail's tight grip loosened into motion. The creature shot towards the assistant like slithering piston. Its mouth opened to reveal sharp, metal teeth and it aimed for his throat with deadly intent.

The human shot backwards dropping the container to clatter off the floor and everyone in the room apart from Monroe followed his action in unison. Tables holding all manner of surgical instruments crashed onto the floor in their panicked attempt to escape. As soon as the alien slipped out his grasp Andrew threw his arms towards it at inhuman speed. All ten of his engineered digits wrapped around the leaping serpent and gripped tight, ceasing its mid-air assault.

Monroe stood steady but Andrew could see that he was just as ready to run as the rest of them. Not through cowardice but through the sheer overpowering instinct of survival.

"Can you hold it?" Monroe asked.

Andrew was stronger and faster than any human but even he was struggling against the infant's power as he held it closer. It screeched and hissed in protest as it struggled to slip free of his embrace.

"Yes. Please stay calm, your reactions are only encouraging it." He ordered to the team who were scrambling towards the sealed exit, thinking nothing of leaving behind the unconscious patient in their care. They stopped and gazed in horror at the eyeless demon that continued to screech at them. Jaws opening and snapping shut as it proceeded to bite and feed on the air, laden with human fear. Andrew moved his other hand up to gain control of the creature's head, pulling it against his chest protectively.

"Nobody is leaving until the specimen is contained." Monroe commanded. "I suggest you collect yourselves and assist Andrew in doing so." Monroe spoke once more, his eyes never leaving the bloodied newborn.

Andrew's face appeared calm with an unwavering sense of control but the others couldn't see the struggle within him to keep purchase on the infant. Thankfully the surgical staff found the necessary courage to do their job and left the false safety of the other side of the room. They began to monitor Benedict's vitals again as the last assistant proceeded to pick up the glass containment carrier and move towards Andrew.

Since the firstborn alien nearly broke out of the unit, Dr Monroe ordered a shipment of stronger models that arrived within hours. Made from glass designed to withstand explosive ordinance, the units were thicker and heavier but breaking a sweat was better than breaking containment. The assistant opened the tubed entrance and aimed it towards the alien child in Andrew's hands.

He stepped forward carefully, aware of the slipping hazard caused by the blood pooling on the floor from the creature. Its head was raised, desperate to try and attack the human again but Andrew used it to his advantage and aimed the upper half of its body inside the opening and he slowly loosened his grip. It slithered inside almost obediently much to the relief of the assistant, his shivering grasp on the container ceasing as Andrew sealed the unit.

The infant was already developing as two spindly arms peeled from the main body. Most of the blood was caressed away during Andrew's struggle and its pale, skin coloured form was exposed under full light and safe observation. They all peered close, watching it as it watched them. Propping itself up on its thin arms the second jaw emerged and it charged the glass.

"How is the specimen?" Charles asked through the intercom. Andrew wasn't surprised by the fact that the creature was Charles' primary concern. Andrew was once again taken aback by these intruding lines of code that muddied his operating capacity. He felt something towards the young Weyland, one could almost describe it as a bad taste, something he wished to be rid of but couldn't.

"It is already growing sir, It needs to be moved to the containment level immediately." Andrew said.

"Was that an order or a request Andrew?" Charles asked with the sort of tone that reminded Andrew of his place and purpose. A tool. A subservient being.

"A suggestion. Sir." Andrew responded coldly.

"It doesn't matter." He looked away from the synthetic towards the assistant holding the contained infant. "Dr Monroe take it to the containment cell in the incubation labs."

"Yes Mr Weyland." Monroe obeyed and he walked with the assistant towards the door, heeding their master's call, carrying the deadly new arrival in a glass lunchbox.

Andrew wasn't aware of any containment cell apart from the enclosure below the main facility. But before he could process this new information any further he heard a commotion coming from the remaining assistants who circled Benedict.

"Step aside please. What is the issue?" He asked as he approached their hunched backs. They pulled away, silent from shock, their white nitrile gloves stained with an oily black substance. That same substance could be seen staining the skin around the incision on Benedict's torso.

Andrew couldn't explain the mysterious liquid at first. He was gripped momentarily by concern for his creator as he lay there, paralysed by chemistry. His proud demeanour now reduced to a vulnerable shell with a tube shoved down his throat, invading him just as the parasite had done.

He sidestepped through the still baffled throng of useless bystanders to stand above Benedict. Gently he rubbed the point of his index finger along the black fluid. It had a thicker viscosity than blood as it overcame the spilled life force. He rubbed it between his thumb and forefinger before pulling them apart. The liquid formed a thick strand that quivered like jelly. He leaned close and inhaled it's scent, even with all the scents recorded in his memory bank he couldn't define the exact smell but among humans it would be considered one of the foulest.

Further alarmed at this development he decided to take action and investigate further. They had an endoscope in the room in the event that the infant retreated deeper inside Benedict's body. Andrew didn't waste the time in asking one of the assistants as he bypassed them again. He was constantly aware of their presence but chose to ignore their confused discussion. He was even more aware to the fact that Charles was still watching them intently like a hawk. Stationery and indifferent to the events unfolding in front of him until he could take advantage of it.

Andrew wheeled the device over, activating it before he reached the gurney. Unsheathing the fibreoptic camera from its sterile plastic covering. He felt an overwhelming sense of haste as he finalised setting up the endoscope. Without a further word or request he inserted the cable inside the open wound and manoeuvred around to the control panel.

At first everything appeared as normal apart from some inflammation along the tissue where Andrew began extracting the embryo. But as the metal serpent continued deeper the camera stopped seeing the pale red of human tissue and focused on something more alarming.

Clinging to the walls of Benedict's vital organs were tendrils of black foreign tissue. Even now Andrew could see them rooted to both lungs, dark alien veins pulsing into the soft tissue. Invading further with each beat of Benedict's heart. Whatever it was it appeared cancerous in nature and was spreading through the body like a weed at an impossible rate.

Andrew quickly deployed the fibreoptic camera's prongs and extracted a small piece for analysis. He delicately pulled the cable out and left Benedict to be sown back up by the surgical team. Once the sample was securely contained he left the operating theatre, passing through decontamination and not even giving Charles a second glance as he passed him.

"What did you find?" Charles followed him, despite Andrew's clearly concerned pace he didn't sound the least bit worried.

The synthetic never halted until he reached one of the examination labs, rushing inside he darted towards the electron microscope. Placing the sample inside he stood silently, waiting for the array of sensors to work their magic invisible to even his eye.

"I'm beginning to lose my patience with you Andrew." Charles spoke with a sterner tone as he gazed up to the taller Andrew with a dissecting, persecuting glare.

"Your damaged sense of authority is not my primary concern right now sir. My main directive now is to discern what is still infecting your father." Andrew never met Charles' eyes, he merely waited for the machine in front of him to finish its task.

It completed its purpose with an audible bleep and the screen in front of them activated. It viewed the sample at a cellular level and Andrew's worst fears were confirmed and more.

"It's like a cancer." Charles remarked as they stood watching the microscopic slaughter.

"No. Your father's cells are behaving like they should but once they've been attacked then their behaviour changes." Andrew pointed out.

"The affected cells are moving towards the healthy ones and spreading the infection." Charles couldn't help but marvel at this new discovery. Even if a host was somehow able to remove the embryo from their bodies, it's placenta or what they had all theorised as a placenta infected the host with a fatal pathogen. It put to rest an idea that Charles had to simply infect a host, extract the embryo and infect them again, a recyclable human incubator.

This didn't concern Charles, he could always find more cattle to host these wondrous creatures. The possible application of this pathogen alone was another gift to the treasure trove they were in possession of.

They continued to watch the biological assault. Once most of the cells on screen were infected they began to transform into crystalline shards. To their eyes it appeared that the cells were turning into hardened glass.

"If this continues my father wont make it through the night will he?" Charles asked.

"No. At its current rate of growth he has perhaps a few hours." Andrew replied. Strangely he lost nearly all focus on the space around him, his central processing unit was being overcome with the backlog of stored recordings of his time spent with his master. He contemplated what his existence would mean without Benedict in the world and every predictive calculation came up negative.

His troubleshoot algorithm was evolving and dissecting these computing ailments, this scan resulted with the definition of depression. Andrew was confused at the conclusion, he understood that Benedict had implemented emotions into his programming. But he told the synthetic that it was a gift. Why then did he curse him with this debilitating ailment, it was dysfunctional and decreased productivity.

He created a firewall against that particular section of his CPU and focused again on the developing situation and the man beside him. Upon Benedict's death his power would fall to Charles first leaving this facility and its deadly contents to the control of dangerous and unpredictable hands. The only one who would stand against this and convince the board to strip Charles of his seat was Annabelle.

Andrew had attempted countless times to bring her out her near catatonic state but his efforts so far were futile. Perhaps mention of this recent development with the state of her father might just be the catalyst to pull her back from her retreat into her own mind. A purpose to focus on.

"Your father should be waking up soon, perhaps you should be the one to tell him." Andrew took the sample from the electron microscope and sealed it away in the cold storage unit for further analysis.

"Tell her I miss her." Charles was still looking to the paused image of the pathogen as Andrew moved away. Andrew could detect the sadness in that statement. In truth despite all his computing power Andrew couldn't muster a response to those words coming from him. Better to attend to the sibling he could possibly help.

Benedict drifted in and out of conscious as his suffering body tried to cleanse itself of the anaesthetic. He managed to open his eyes once, only for a few seconds to see orderlies hovering over him. Their faces and emotions covered with white surgical masks as he heard them mutter and whisper to each other. His mind wanted to speak but he fell back into unconsciousness before his lips could move. The dreams were beyond terrifying.

They recalled the last few moments before the parasite attacked him and worst of all when it happened. Even asleep he could feel the arachnid's heavy weight spearing into his leg from it's clawed appendages as it climbed on top of him. It savoured in his paralysis and terror, slowly mounting him, bleeding anticipation from every drawn out second of his terror.

He remembered the proboscis ramming into his mouth, sliding down his throat as he gagged and vomited against the foreign invasion. The underside of the creature smothering him as a foul odour breathed into his nostrils. He could still taste its putrid flesh as it drove down against his tongue then grating against the vulnerable tissue of his oesophagus.

Once again he opened his eyes in an attempt to escape the deep well of nightmares. Finally he managed to awaken himself despite the waning pull of the drugs. His first sight was of his son sitting in a chair beside his bed. His daughter was no where in sight, she should've been here. He wanted to see her.

His senses came to him with the fires of pain, it resonated from his chest in pounding waves. He groaned out with gritted teeth, reaching down to feel the origin. His heart skipped a beat. He still believed the creature was inside him. He could hear his heartbeat quicken from the audible monitor beside him.

His son clearly noticed the reasoning for his fear and halted Benedict's hand. Stopping him from rising up and tearing the stitches.

"Don't. You'll open up the wound again. It's been extracted and is now contained in an observation unit."

Benedict laid back again, relief washed over him in waves. In truth he should've known when the parasite approached him in the bowels of the Derelict that he would survive the ordeal. He had some of the best medical staff alive on call in the facility to extract the infant alien. Even still the memory of the arachnid creature resonated that same primal fear within him. Lying against that cold extra-terrestrial alloy he didn't feel the almost immortal power of his position, he felt like prey.

He tossed such weak thoughts aside, he'd soon need to be back on his feet so the staff would see their employer back in a position of strength.

"Get Andrew to bring me some clothes." The words slipped through gritted teeth as he tried to tense his abdomen. "Why is your sister not here?" Benedict asked.

"While you've been unconscious I've had to take some drastic actions due to certain... developments." Charles face conveyed no emotion whatsoever. "And I'm sorry to say this father but you won't be leaving this room alive."

Benedict felt a chill roll down his spine, just from a look in his son's face he knew something was terribly wrong. Almost on queue he started to cough harshly, he covered his mouth as the cough grew worse. He could feel a burning sensation in his lungs and a sickening, metallic taste in his mouth along with something more revolting. Once it had subsided he checked his hand expecting to see blood but it was worse. His palm was coated with black fluid.

Suddenly his pulse started racing again, he wondered what the hell was happening to him. What parting gift did the alien leave him before it was extracted? His body tensed into a statue rocked with renewed fear and he looked to his son with desperation. Benedict's look was reciprocated by an unnerving smile from Charles.

"What is happening to me?"

"You are dying father. You most likely won't see tomorrow." Charles voice was absent of any remorse. "It left a growth inside you. Cancerous in its nature but it's unlike anything we've ever seen. Quite fascinating really, we perverted the course of its nature and as you lie here withering away it grows stronger."

"Leave me!" Benedict shouted. "And send Andrew and your sister to me immediately.

Charles didn't move an inch apart from his expression. His smile evaporated back into the cold stare of the dead. "You always loved her more didn't you? Is it because she reminded you so much of Mother?" He stood up and walked over to the gurney slowly watching his father grow ever more uncomfortable with each closing step.

"Since I was a child I've done all I can to build myself into the heir you wanted. You sired me for your legacy and nothing more but it didn't matter to me as long as I made you proud." Charles voice was edged with harboured malice. "Yet still the apple of your eye was her, you sacrificed my mother's life for her and yet still she received your love. I know your intention now was to give her the company and I've corrected your mistake in judgment. She wasn't ready. I took your precious progeny and I made her more broken than you made me."

"Security!" Benedict screamed but no one came and he was frozen in abject terror at his son. He tried to cry out again but Charles hand shot forward to cover his mouth with a crushing grip.

"No one can hear you so don't waste your breath and answer me while you still can." Charles said as he lifted his hand. He reached for a cloth and wiped his hand of the infection of his father before tossing the soiled fabric on Benedict.

"Cormack wouldn't leave me here unguarded."

"He did on the ship, but that doesn't matter anymore. He was a disloyal dog and he was put down like one so stop avoiding my question."

"What did you do to her?" Benedict tried discreetly to bring about the strength to rise but every time he tensed his agony flared anew. He was trapped once more in the presence of something dangerous. Something predatory.

"I made her kill him. They were going to expose all of this." He motioned his arm outward to signify the Deep Shrine facility. "Your precious daughter was going to throw you and your legacy to the wolves. I ripped out the treasonous weeds in one move just like you taught me to father. You should be proud of me." Charles' voice lost its anger and he came back over to kneel beside his father, looking up to him.

"I remember when I first learned the definition of destiny. At the time I thought it was some sort of fantastical gift given to every child ever born. A grand and foretold goal written in the stars." Charles genuinely smiled at the memory, that shadow of time more than beautiful in retrospect than the moment itself.

"I believed my destiny was to bypass your never-ending expectations. I dedicated every waking moment of my existence to achieve that destiny and more. I never sought friendship or love, any connection that would leave me vulnerable, every social interaction was only engaged to create an advantage."

"My dedication to the advancement of your legacy knew no bounds, I wasn't an individual, I was an extension of your dreams. And when you glimpsed the finished project you didn't smother me with the pride and love that my so called destiny promised. You threw psychologists at me left and right to poke and prod me like a freak. I realised then that destiny was nothing more than a placebo to keep the masses hoping, another weakness I needed to cull."

"I feared you were becoming a monster. I was right." Benedict spoke defeated and weighted down with regret and sorrow."

"You've grown soft to think I'm a monster but if I am a monster I'm the one you made me to be." He leaned close, tenderly caressing his father's face in a perverse attempt to soothe him. "Do not be afraid father, you knew this time would come the moment I was born. That's what it is to be a parent isn't it? To see your own mortality in the eyes of your child with their lives ahead of them, unspoiled from the scars of mistakes you live to regret."

He leaned up and kissed Benedict on the forehead and despite appearances there was real love in those last few seconds of contact. "Thank you father. Because of your tutelage I don't make mistakes. And most importantly... I don't regret anything."

Before Benedict could speak Charles ripped the pillow from under his head and forced it down over his face within the blink of an eye. His hands grasped each side of the pillow with whitened knuckles as he continued this quickening of the inevitable. There was no hesitation, only a cold, flat purpose.

Muffled screams could be heard from underneath the fabric as Benedict's arms flailed around, grasping for purchase in a panicked frenzy to breathe again. But he was already weakened from the surgery and the alien infection so his struggle waned after only a few short moments. Charles had practiced this moment since he was a child on defenceless animals, perfecting it for when the time was right. This would be the last murder his hands committed and all he had to do was hold on tight. Until the weakened creature beneath him fell as still as his emotions.

The concealed screams dissipated but still Charles pressed down with an immovable strength. His face reddened from the effort as a pulsing vein was visible on his forehead but his expression remained mute. He felt the strength leave Benedict's arms as his lifeless hands wrapped around his son's wrists.

He removed the pillow to see his father's dead eyes locked towards him, his mouth was wide open from his final struggle against the smothering fabric. His lips blackened from the oily alien discharge seeping into his lungs. Charles looked to see the underside of the pillow stained like the night sky, he tossed it into a biohazard disposal unit and proceeded to make his father's corpse presentable.

Grabbing a handful of sterile wipes he sat on the bedside and cleaned away the liquid. With a patient and careful hand every visible trace of the substance was wiped away until Charles was satisfied. All while Benedict's hollow, motionless eyes stared at him with seemingly no effect.

He closed the mouth and finally after one last look lowered the eyelids. "Rest in peace father. I'll take care of everything that was yours, Annabelle, the company. I'll care for them because that's what I would've done if you'd have just given me the chance to show you. I hope you find mother."

Pain. It's something more than the brain signifying damage to the body, it's an integral part of existence, without it one feels nothing. They are a numb shell immune to living. Annabelle felt a strange union of both sensations as she lay frozen against the bed, hardened against her desire to be absorbed and sink away from her existence.

She barely moved since she was lowered to the bed with the utmost tenderness from Andrew and his analytical gaze never left her as she surrendered to a tormented limbo. Her mind lost and stranded in the past. Fleetingly she would grasp at the present in an attempt to escape the broken heart in her chest. Every time her eyes focused though they were met with her mirrored image and she recoiled and scuttled back inside her mind. Wishing the mirrored wardrobe in front of her would shatter to crumbling pieces, just like she had.

She wore defeat and sorrow like the heavy blanket she rested upon. The sheets were stained with dried blood and so were her clothes before Andrew relieved her of the soiled garments. He dressed her with a cold and efficient care. She never noticed her nakedness or her vulnerability, her soul had been ripped from her very skin, tearing the power of her muscles and the nerves that made her feel alive. The simple act of breathing was a necessary but crushing ordeal, further punishing her desire to be no more.

She remembered a young woman named Annabelle, she was a mirror of her mother. Filled with a fierce pride and a will of cold stone to rival any man's. She was a living wave, a force to be reckoned with. Now her only interaction was Andrew spoon feeding her, anchoring her further in this life with liquid mush. She was nothing more than a shadow. A siren standing on a shipwreck in the middle of the raging ocean. Screaming her pleading song to the black sky, waiting for the woman she once was to sail her away from this endless purgatory.

Her eyes were so bloodshot from a dried up well of silent tears that her sclera were painted an unhealthy red. The door slid open as Andrew walked with a flawless cyclic stride towards her.

Somewhere in that unmeasurable amount of time, she prayed inwardly. It was more a desperate cry of surrender but she prayed. For her body to stop breathing, for her lungs to cease their useless function and allow her to sink into the depths of anywhere but here.

Despite the fresh clothes and the warm blanket, warmth never graced her body. At least to her it didn't feel like it. Her body only remembered the heavy, cold of steel as she held the gun to his head, her eyesight clouded with tears as she gazed down the barrel to his relieved smile.

She kept asking who applied the force necessary to squeeze the trigger. Every time she answered the question she lied to herself, her clinging sanity told her it was Charles who forced her finger on the trigger. She knew despite the constant denial that in the end it was her.

Andrew leaned down and laid his hand and his manufactured concern on her cold shoulder. She didn't flinch in the slightest. His touch wasn't an invasion of her human space it was merely a change in her surroundings. He sat beside her for an undetermined amount of time until finally he broke his silence.

"Anna. There's something I need to tell you." He spoke closely in a whisper but still she remained as a lifeless as a statue.

"It's about your father." He said. That got a reaction. Her eyes darted towards him, it was the first real sign of life from her since he had brought her up here.

The door whooshed open behind him and her eyes followed the movement to look upon the intrusion. Instantly she knew who it was before her pained eyes rested upon him. He reciprocated her gaze with a frighteningly genuine smile but the expression didn't comfort her. Serving only to send temperate chills down her already frozen spine. He closed the door behind him and approached her, despite Andrew's attempt to halt him.

Her muscles exploded from their exhausted prison instantly as she frantically retreated backwards like a frightened animal. She screamed and wailed as she fled but it didn't stop Charles' advance. Her muscles protested in agony from the swift awakening from atrophy but her instincts stopped her from crumbling into a foetal position from the pain. She stumbled off the bed and still continued till her back smacked against the panoramic window. She only wished she could crash through it, anything to escape him.

Charles stopped at the bed, gazing at the sheets stained with blood, sweat and tears. "I'm disappointed in you sister." He sat himself on the edge of the bed. Andrew manoeuvred himself to stand at equal distance between the two siblings but he did nothing to try and ease Anna's hysteria.

"I thought you were stronger than this." Charles began to chuckle. "You know the board would call you 'Ice Queen' behind your back. I see now that it was all just a façade, you're just like what he was but age is not your weakness."

He raised himself up and walked closer to her until they were only at arm's breadth. "You were a fragile piece of glass hiding under the shadow of your own reputation." He reached forward with an arm extended. "All it takes is a push in the right direction and you shatter." His hand pushed her further into the wall.

She lashed out like a cornered animal. Throwing her hands out just to push the threat away but a second later it turned into more than that as she threw herself into him. She screamed bloody murder as she clawed, kicked and grabbed him. Anything to make him feel as ruined as she did.

It didn't last longer than a few seconds before her barrage was halted by Andrew. He grabbed both her wrists and held her firmly as her rage spewed forth.

"Let me fucking go!" Her voice tore lumps out of her dried throat. She struggled to escape his grasp but it was useless.

"I can't Annabelle, I can't allow you to harm him." He turned his head to Charles. "It would be best if you leave." Andrew's eyes never left the young heir's as he stepped back to sit once more on the bed. He was clearly wasn't going anywhere.

"I came up here to tell you that our father is dead." As Charles spoke those words her ceaseless attempts to free herself of Andrew's control finally stopped. It was a good thing though as both synthetic and daughter were frozen to the core.

Since he was activated Benedict was Andrew's anchor, his directive, his reason for existence and in one short formation of words it was all pulled away. His processors flew through his saved memories at an incomprehensible speed as his every moment spent with him once more in a flash of time.

He looked to Annabelle at his side and saw a reflection of his isolating loss. She hadn't fled back into that place where she was before. She was here in the present, amongst the living but there was a hard coldness to the way she looked at her brother. Part of her knew exactly what her brother had done.

He turned to observe Charles more closely, the young man was still seated upon the bed watching them, waiting for something.

"I predicted he would live for another few hours." Andrew said.

"And you were right, he would have."

"What did you do?" Anna asked calmly, too calmly in the synthetic's eyes considering her recent behaviour but he was grateful she had the presence of mind to answer the question.

"I ended his suffering."

Andrew couldn't define it, he felt like he was being invaded by a virus, corrupting every process of logic and reason. That same sense of distaste he felt when he looked at Charles back in the operating theatre returned tenfold. It was an overpowering pressure and at that moment the only way to relieve it was to bypass the barriers inhibiting him.

He flew forward at an incredible speed, before Charles could react his neck was encircled by Andrew's fingers, gripping down hard enough to discomfort. If he wanted to he could crush Charles' throat before he could blink.

Anna didn't move to aid her brother or discourage the synthetic violating it's most important code of core programming. She stood there watching the show, her eyes begging for her brother's death.

Andrew held him for a moment longer, looking at his creator's murderer who stared right back with satisfaction and an insane smile. Charles looked to be enjoying this moment, analysing his pupil dilation along with the pulse pounding beneath his hands. Andrew could see that he was genuinely excited at this proximity to death, if anything he almost looked relieved.

It was all so confusing to the android and he recoiled his hands, staring at them in something akin to shock. He had just committed an act of violence towards a human being, the cardinal sin for synthetics but at the time it felt so right.

"You really loved him didn't you? Even when he burdened you with such a weakness." Charles spoke coolly, hiding his reaction to the assault. His heart was beating out of his chest and it was exhilarating, he couldn't remember the last time he felt genuine fear. He savoured every last drop of adrenaline as its effects faded into memory.

He stared at the android and his sister, eyeing them up like a predator. Andrew was still a child when it came to handling his implanted emotions. Nonetheless it would be interesting to play with them and see how far he could push those fresh buttons. His little sister on the other hand, his work was done with her, all that he needed to do now was wait and see what flowered from his cruel attentions.

He was surprised to see that Annabelle looked back at him without fear or anger, just that same ghostly look. She walked towards him, her eyes never breaking from him. Her gait spoke of an iron pride despite her dishevelled appearance. She stopped a few paces from him, keeping her distance yet making sure her words were heard.

"Where is he?" She asked looking down on him.

"Medlab B. I cleaned him up for you."

He didn't see it but her next words took all of her strength and courage to leave her mouth without sounding like a mumbled whimper. "Get out. Now."

He didn't move for the first few moments, he wanted to see if her gaze would falter. It didn't and he let her have this small victory. Standing up to her he lingered for a moment longer, enjoying the moment, oblivious to Andrew who was still coming to terms with what he had just done.

"Very well my dear." He mockingly bowed. "I'll leave you to make yourself presentable." Without another word said he turned from her and left the room. The door closed behind him with a soft, sealing whoomph, leaving her and Andrew in a lonely silence with the coastal waves outside for company.

"I'm sorry Anna, I can't ascertain what's happening to my programming." Andrew was near pleading, he felt like there would be no other option but for himself to be terminated.

"Your emotional implant overrode your behavioural inhibitors and your core programming. Isn't it obvious?" Anna said.

He didn't reply, he looked into oblivion, lost inside his coding overlooking every piece of programming with a fine tooth comb. She didn't have the patience for it at this moment. She walked over to him and her palm struck the side of his face. Inwardly she wished she didn't, it felt like she had just slapped a piece of concrete. It had the desired effect. He instantly faced her, glaring at her.

"You angry at me Andrew? Go ahead do the same thing to me." She grabbed his hand and pressed it around her windpipe. "Just fucking do it and see if I care." She waited a moment, careless if he'd do it or not, she realised he wouldn't and tossed his hand away. "If you're not going to do it then snap out of it and fucking listen to me." She grabbed his collar and brought him down, level with her face.

"I'm barely holding on here. I can't go back to the wreck that Charles made me. Now that Cormack and father are dead, we're on our own, we have to look after ourselves. But I need you to snap out of it and compose yourself. Can you do that?"

"Yes Annabelle. Yes I can do that. What do you need me to do?"

Anna didn't reply at first, she walked into the wash room of her quarters. For a room only containing the few utilities required for hygiene it was beyond spacious. Akin to the main room one wall was a window to the world outside. She flipped a switch beside the panoramic window and the clear glass misted over, protecting what little dignity she had left from the outside world.

Another switch flipped and steaming hot water poured from the roof of the shower cubicle, she left it running, taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror. The light emanating from around the mirror only accentuated the ruin she had become. She was so used to hiding her natural self under a thin layer of cosmetic presentation as soon as she awakened every morning.

Now she looked at the real her, underneath the porcelain composure, the power of her father's name. It was true what Charles had said. It was all just a façade, fragile glass that was shattered by the double edged blade of affection. Never again, she vowed. She wouldn't be broken again, she couldn't if she wanted to survive this place.

She continued to stare into herself until the steam from the shower caressed her reflection in a layer of mist. "Andrew." She called as she undressed, relieving the last broken pieces of the past her.

He entered the room. "Yes Annabelle," he saw her nakedness and averted his eyes. "Forgive me I shouldn't have just walked in."

She didn't acknowledge his words or even recognise his gaze as she stepped inside the boiling hot shower. She merely stood amongst the roasting fall of water at first. It was beyond relieving, despite the drowning torrent she felt like she had resurfaced from the depths.

"Get me something to wear Andrew." She called after a few moments.

"Yes ma'am." He nearly left the room before stepping back in. "What do you want to wear?"

"I'm about to see my dead family Andrew, something black."

"Your brother is still alive Annabelle."

"For now." She muttered those last words so only she could hear them. As the synthetic left to find her an outfit she let the searing water wash away the sweat and tears. The heat did little to melt the ice in her veins but the last of her weakness burned away as she readied herself for what was to come.

Her footsteps could be heard from a room away but the knowledge of her incoming presence was already known throughout the entire Deep Shrine Facility before she even left the elevator. She walked past dozens of whispering remarks without a care with Andrew in tow beside her. She avoided the countless eyes staring at her as her gaze focused solely on the science module where her father's corpse was held.

As always the presence of the Derelict loomed over everyone in the facility like an invading shadow but Annabelle quelled the primal fear. It was the fear of children to let an inanimate object affect her so and she wouldn't be cowered by it, not anymore.

They closed the distance to the module within a minute and were greeted at the entrance by two armed security guards. They blocked the entrance with their bodies and didn't move an inch to let her and Andrew through. She recognised one of them as the man who Cormack was fighting after an argument between the two. He was still wearing the bruises from Cormack's fists but that wasn't what drew her attention to him alone.

The other guard was a statue, not even glancing at her but this brute was staring at her directly without any fear.

"Excuse us please." Andrew said as he tried to create a path between them but the brute pushed him back and raised his pulse rifle just a little towards their direction. Andrew noticed the small act of aggression and stepped in front of Annabelle as a shield but she gently pushed him out of the way.

"Let us by and I'll forget that little indiscretion." Anna said.

"Access to this module is restricted by order of Mr Weyland."

"Interesting." Anna remarked. "All this time I must've been dreaming that I was related to that family. What's your name?"

The guard looked confused for a moment. "Mattock. Mr Weyland said that we weren't to allow you access ma'am."

"Wow, my late lover must've knocked the last few brain cells out of your head Mattock to have you making so many mistakes today."

"I don't make mistakes ma'am." Mattock reaffirmed his stance to a parade standard, avoiding her eyes.

She walked under his shadow as she stepped close, he didn't move apart from his eyes which stared into hers again.

"I'm going to allow you to speak your mind for a moment and don't lie to me because Andrew here will know. You were glad to hear of Cormack's death weren't you?"

He didn't speak at first, he contemplated lying but knew it would be useless. "Yes. Yes I was. He treated us like we were still in the damn marines. We're better than marines and that's why we get paid the big bucks by silver spoons like you."

Anna laughed at him. "You're nothing but a thug with a gun, you know why?" She took one step closer and touched the cold metal of the rifle's trigger housing.

"For one your weapon isn't safe." She directed towards the fire selector which was positioned for the rifle to fire in fully automatic.

"Second, your finger is rested inside the trigger guard, a criminal mistake that a marine learns in the first few weeks of basic."

"Last of all and this just goes to show how fucking stupid you really are." She forced his finger down on the trigger. His eyes opened in complete shock, expecting someone to be dead a second later and a worse fate for him as a result. Yet nothing happened, no rounds were discharged and nobody died but both guards near had a heart attack.

"Your rifle battery is dead. Such negligence is deplorable for someone in a position as yours. I'll keep this between us but if you so much as look at me again I'll have you fed to that thing down below. Now get the fuck out of my way."

Mattock didn't reply, merely stepping aside with his comrade and opening the door for Anna and Andrew to walk through. Once the doors whooshed shut behind they continued through the strangely quiet corridors of the module.

"Anna what you did was beyond dangerous." Andrew noted as they walked together.

"Did you expect me to just play the nice little girl."

"No. I expected you to use the advantage of your position. There was no need for such recklessness, as you said we are on our own in this situation."

Anna stopped him in his tracks, turning him towards her. "I've used that advantage near all my life and look where it's gotten me. My name can only defend me to a point, after that I need to get creative and the threat of violence is one of those solutions."

"I'm afraid that you'll slowly turn into him."

"I'll do what I have to do to stop him. That's all I can offer you and if that's not enough then leave my services now and become someone else's lapdog." She paused for a moment. "I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that."

Andrew didn't acknowledge those last insulting words but somehow they hammered home. "The surgical wing is this way." He directed her through the last few corridors, the short journey was filled with an uncomfortable silence. They stopped outside the observation room of the operating theatre, Charles could be seen staring at Benedict's corpse like a hawk on the peak of a mountain.

She didn't show it but Anna's heart started to hammer against her chest. Her palms felt clammy and that familiar fear rose in her in an invasive bloom. "Wait here Andrew."

"Anna I strongly advise against that." Andrew protested, he held his hand protectively over the door control.

"Please, this is something I have to do myself." She gently lowered his hand from the control and pressed the switch. The door opened yet Charles didn't turn to see who entered, he didn't move an inch, still staring at the body.

The door closed behind Anna, isolating her with him. She couldn't remember the last time they were alone in a room together without the dead in close proximity. The invading scent of sterilisation was mixed with the strong scent of Charles' aftershave. Anna didn't know what to find more unsettling.

She moved to stand beside him and for the next few minutes both stared silently at the lifeless husk of their father absorbed in their own thoughts. To Anna's eyes Benedict looked almost at peace, finally free from the crushing burden of his success, perhaps even the burden of his children she thought briefly.

She didn't doubt her love for him but contempt quietly invaded her thoughts in those moments of companioned silence. As children their father was a brief visitor in their life and those visits were usually only to review the progress of their education. Their grooming to take on his legacy, neglecting the personal dreams and ambitions of children. They could've been anything they wanted to be in their lives. But here they stood, laden with his life's work and the Pandora's box that was this facility.

"I hope you didn't have any trouble getting in here." Charles said.

"You know I did."

Charles laughed. "Yes I know but I wanted to see how you would handle it." He pointed towards a monitor in the room that showed a live feed of the entrance to the module where Mattock could be seen walking back to his post with a functioning weapon.

"Why do you insist on playing these games Charles?"

"Because that's what life is. A game, to people like us at least."

"It won't be a game when the board arrives here. Now that he's gone they'll do everything they can to pick us clean of our inheritance."

"On that my dear we both agree. They'll be here in a day's time to investigate his death and as you say 'pick us clean'. Don't fret sister, I'll handle it."

"We'll handle it together." She said. The comment surprised Charles who turned to look at her for the first time since she arrived.

She didn't return his gaze, still looking on into the other room. "Don't mistake my intentions Charles. I'll help you keep the wolves from our door but sometime in the future..." She finally stared into his eyes. "...I will kill you for everything you've done."

He simply smiled and moved to leave the room but not before he laid a hand on her shoulder and whispered close. "It's refreshing to have something to look forward to sister." Without another word he left the room and she let out a relieving sigh.

She stared on in silence for some time, lost again in memory but able to view it all with an analytical and crystal clear eye. "Why did you leave me with him? You knew what he was becoming and yet you did nothing to stop it." She muttered but the volume of her words increased with the grating edge of anger. "Did you ever love me like you loved him?" She asked only to be replied with dead silence, it did nothing but heighten the rage inside her.

"Be at peace father." She nearly spat out the words. "I'll clean up the mess you've left behind."

She stormed out the room without a second glance and was greeted by Andrew.

"Your brother told me that he wished for you to handle the burial of your father."

"He's a biohazard, burn him for all I care. Right now I want to go down below to the enclosure."

"Yes ma'am." They left the module with it's strange sense of purgatory and travelled down to the bowels of her prison to see if anything had developed with the monster she now partly owned.

Annabelle and Andrew made their way down to the enclosure's research station without a word spoken. Every second that passed on their journey only served to remind her of her last visit. Back when Cormack was alive and there was a light at the end of the tunnel. But the tunnel they travelled through was already lit, with sentry guns positioned at fifty yard intervals and past the station was a pit of darkness with a demon residing within.

They walked inside and the scientists immediately halted their work to look at who had arrived. She recognised one of them as the man she had at the end of Cormack's pistol. She remembered how ready she was to take his life. It was true what Charles had said afterwards, she did feel the ecstasy of power in that moment at the expense of someone else's life.

She saw the fear in the man's face and wished she could in someway apologise for what she did and the shame it brought her. But it was better to be feared than viewed with any weakness and she cast the thought aside. Perhaps she wasn't that different from her brother but before she could ponder it any longer a door at the other side of the room opened and Dr Monroe emerged.

"Miss Weyland." He called before making his way towards her, dodging around desks and terminals before reaching her. "I have something to show you, follow me please." He asked as his eyes glanced to the security team standing idly by the exact spot where their predecessors were slaughtered. It was as if it never happened thanks to whatever poor nameless soul that had to clean away all the blood and brains.

Confused, Anna obliged and followed him towards the room from where he originated. She noted that plastered onto the door was a hand written sign that said 'For Horror Lovers Only'. As Monroe opened the door she could see inside a man seated in a swivel chair with his hands dug into the insides of a Working Joe's head. He stopped what he was doing when he realised who was looking into his workspace.

Gently Monroe discreetly nudged her into the room, she was shocked at the manner of his physical contact considering who he was touching. Once Andrew followed them inside Monroe hastily shut the door.

"What the hell was that all about?" She asked.

"I'm sorry but I felt it was necessary to get away from prying ears. I'm so sorry about your father Anna. I thought we could save him."

"Thank you but that doesn't matter. Not anymore."

"Your right, I'm glad to see you back on your feet but these recent events have thrown to much drama on this facility and overshadowed our goals here."

"You're preaching to the choir Doctor." She gazed around the room and finally at the man who was still seated and remaining silent. "What are we standing in and who the hell is this?"

"This is Spencer he's in charge of monitoring all activity in the enclosure."

Spencer got up out his chair and moved forward with his hand extended which Anna reciprocated. "Pleasure to meet you Miss Weyland, I'm sorry for your loss."

"You can't be monitoring that much since you've lost your eyes in there."

"Well we can't see anything but the cameras' microphones are still working and that's what this concerns." Spencer moved back into his seat and started to type away on the keyboard. Completely ignorant of the lifeless android kneeling behind him. "And something is definitely going on in there." With another click the room filled with the audio feed from another world separated from their own only by a wall of steel.

At first it appeared to be nothing but silence but Spencer steadily increased the volume and they could hear something breathing. It didn't sound like any sort of breathing Anna had heard before. Each inhalation sounded like it was sucked through gritted teeth and exhaled through a liquid barrier of phlegm and catarrh from lungs bigger than what the creature could possibly hold.

They all listened intently, staring at each other as they tried to imagine the creature that they could hear. It was cut off by a watery hiss that reached every microphone in the enclosure, creating a haunting echo. It was answered by screeching cry that pitched through the speakers near deafening the group. Forcing Spencer to quickly cut the feed. They had heard enough.

"I thought there was only one of those things in there." Anna said.

"Only one specimen was placed in there and ever since it took out the lights I've been listening to it for fourteen hours a day. That's what we heard just before I stopped the audio. The constant breathing is definitely something else."

"We need to get eyes in there and see what's going on. That's why Spencer is working on this synthetic here." Monroe added.

"Was." Spencer corrected him. "The idea was to wirelessly link up the droid's optical feed to our monitors here. But the router on this archaic scrap heap is only built to handle basic computation loop programs from its command AI." He pulled out a cord that linked the Working Joe's CPU to a datapad and tossed the equipment onto the table in frustration.

"I'm sorry Doc but I can't get this to work no matter what I try."

"There must be someway. We need to ascertain what's going on in there, this is a security risk that's gone on long enough."

"I can't work miracles Doc, especially with this cheap shit. All this expense and corners are cut with this third rate junk!" He grunted as he push kicked the powerless synthetic over to land harshly on the floor. He didn't direct that last sentence towards Anna but she couldn't help but feel slightly targeted by his outburst.

Andrew could detect the rising tension in the room and despite the growing apprehension at what he was about to suggest, it was the only certain solution he could suggest. "I'll do it." He said.

The tension instantly dissipated and the human trio looked at him, Spencer and Monroe looked relieved but he could detect a hint of concern from Anna.

"I can link a direct feed of my sensory systems to your monitors. My router is strong enough to broadcast clearly through the enclosure's walls without any interference. I'll also be able to better find these creatures and relay important information back to you.

"No." Anna stated. "You know what happened when Cormack and his men went in there and they were armed. Forget it I'm not risking losing you."

He met her eyes, looking deep into the meaning behind her words. Did she care for his wellbeing or was he just too valuable a commodity to carelessly risk where his older, inferior kin were better suited, more plentiful in supply and infinitely disposable.

"You may consider me invaluable to waste Annabelle but as Spencer here pointed out these models are unsuited to this task." He motioned his hand towards the Working Joe lying on the ground, discarded like trash, lifeless with its wired innards exposed. "It is better that I enter the enclosure domain, better that I risk my safety than force another human into that place. Perhaps I'll fare better, every human that's entered there is dead, from the creature's hands or your brother's."

Anna knew he wasn't asking for permission, this was one case where her new found sense of authority and power was useless and despite her fear for Andrew's safety she was glad.

"Okay, you know best."

"Yes I do." He answered confidently, walking past her he stood over Spencer and his work station. "Excuse me sir." Spencer relinquished the chair and Andrew took his place. His fingers dashed into each key at an impossible speed, creating a blur of motion as he wrote over fifty lines of code in less than a minute. Finally he hit the 'enter' key and the main monitor mirrored exactly what Andrew's ocular sensors were receiving in all its perfect clarity.

"There, I'm predicting some interference when I exit the outer lock but it should be minimal. I'll confirm audible reception once I'm in." He left Spencer's chair and nearly walked out of the room without a further word until Anna stopped him with her hand. "Give us a minute." She asked Spencer and Monroe who promptly exited the small room.

"You don't have to do this." She said, he recognised that she was hiding the pleading in her words.

"Yes I do. Believe me, I feel that all consuming fear of danger that cripples you humans. I know that there's a chance I won't make it back but we need to clean up your family's mess."

"You're better than most humans, you know that. Just make it back to me in one piece. Find out what's going on in there and get back as quick as you can."

"I will and thank you Annabelle for treating me as something other than a machine." He left after those words, not giving her a chance to further delay him with words. Upon exiting the room Monroe handed him a flashlight from the supply locker.

"Good luck Andrew." He said.

"Thank you." Andrew replied and made his way to the airlock, the doors cycled open and he entered the manufactured purgatory, that sterile lifeless realm between the light and the dark where the extra-terrestrial devil lay sealed away from every other realm. Pressurised air circulated around him, he wondered if luck was a factor that applied to a machine. That strange human concept of fate was something that confused him, there was no pre-conceived destiny for him, events were thrust upon him and he was compelled to follow the path laid before him by his organic, flawed betters. Luck was a human fantasy, a concept for them to blame when something didn't turn out their way and praise when it did.

The decontamination procedure ended and for a brief moment all was quiet until the outer lock opened to the permeating dark that recoiled back from the airlock's lights. Suddenly something within him flared in alarm, something that was screaming warnings through every fibre of his being, halting every effort to lift one foot forward. Whatever it was his core programming neutralised it quickly and he entered the enclosure.

"Can you hear me?" He spoke into the abyss.

"Loud and clear Andrew, can you detect anything from where you are?" Monroe asked.

As much as he tried his vision couldn't penetrate the tide of shadows but he could tell he wasn't alone. That same slow, wet breathing echoed against each particle in the vast room, consuming life on a cellular level. A human could've easily heard that though and as he slowly walked further into nothingness his auditory sensors detected subtle sounds in the distance. Wet footfalls creating tiny pockets of suction as the alien wraiths moved in unison with his every step until a single hiss rung out.

At the end of his flashlight's beam he saw something emerge from behind a support beam, freezing him to a stop. A featureless face, distinguishable only by the constant curtain of saliva dripping from closed lips. The lips opened to expose glistening teeth before the beast retreated back from the light, still Andrew remained rooted to the spot. He had expected it to advance for the attack, it didn't retreat in fear, something in him doubted these organisms feared anything at all. Why then did it not approach him? Indifference?

"Why did you bring these things here of all places father?" Andrew muttered under his breath.

"What was that Andrew? Say again." Annabelle asked through the comm link. Andrew could detect her stress levels rising in her voice.

"Nothing. I'm proceeding further." And so he wandered further into the realm of monsters unmolested.


End file.
